Council have funds to target known dumping hotspots

An allocation of €80,110 was made to Westmeath County Council for five specific anti-dumping measures in 2024 – and the council are optimistic of receiving a similar amount in 2025, Cllr Niall Gaffney was informed at the November meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad.

Cllr Gaffney had a motion on the agenda calling on the district to prepare an anti-dumping programme for rural Westmeath, focusing on tackling hot spots for littering and dumping. After revealing the level of the 2024 allocation and optimism over 2025’s likely allocation, the response from the district stated that once the full terms and conditions of the 2025 ADI (anti-dumping initiative) scheme are made known, the council will apply for funding.

Cllr Gaffney was keen that if any funding was received, some of the projects should target the bog areas, which, he said, are an easy target.

Cllr Denis Leonard said the council’s actions needed to be “visible” and involve prosecutions. He also suggested that there should be a national anti-littering day with enforcement officers all over the country and prosecutions against offenders, similar to the way National Slowdown Day works. He was also in favour of publishing the names of those prosecuted and fined.

Support came also from Cllr Emily Wallace, who said CCTV had to be part of the solution, and also from Cllr Aoife Davitt, who said those collecting rubbish for disposal should be properly licensed and accredited.

Responding, director of services Deirdre Reilly stressed that the council are fully committed to combating littering, and assured members that the environmental section has a list of potential littering locations identified.

“So it would be our plan to continue this CCTV operation going forward,” she said.