Tougher fines proposed for littering at bring sites

MUCH more rigorous surveillance leading to increased fines of €500 to €1,000 should be in the County Council armoury to deal with people who leave their household rubbish at Bring Sites, Fine Gael’s Eileen Lynch has said.

Councillor Lynch was speaking after it came to light at the Macroom Blarney Monthly Meeting that only one person had been fined following prosecution for leaving rubbish at a Bring site in the Macroom area during 2019. This solitary fine came on the heels of just one person also being fined for the same offence during 2018. There had been no fines in the area for the offence during 2017 and 2016.

“I have been getting a lot of enquiries about the lack of enforcement regarding litter at bring sites which I think is very important when you see such fantastic efforts by local groups, particularly Tidy Town Committees,” said Councillor Lynch.

Out of 22 Bring sites in the area, CCTV had been active in only two during 2018/19. These were Ballyvourney and Coachford. “I find it difficult to believe that these are the only two problem sites out of the 22,” said Councillor Lynch.

“It’s vital that there is more deployment of CCTV at Bring sites as it’s very frustrating to members of the community in general but in particular to Tidy Town committees who are working so hard to keep our areas in good condition.”

Expressing surprise at the apparent lack of enforcement, Cllr. Lynch said: “I find it hard to believe that the lack of convictions means that the majority of the bring sites are in perfect condition. One fine each in 2018 and 2019 is quite low in comparison to how many times it’s occurring,” she said.

Another issue arose around the evidence required for a conviction, she added, asking whether fines were imposed on the basis of credible reports from witnesses or whether there needed to be CCTV footage to impose a fine.

This evidential requirement could lead to even lower rates of prosecution, she said.

While there was overall consensus among councillors for a more rigorous enforcement regime, including an increased fine of €500 for those caught leaving rubbish, a cautionary note was sounded by Cllr. Gobnait Ní Mhúineacháin.

The Fianna Fáil representative said that care should be taken when discussing and reporting the item that too much information about where cameras were – and were not – would be disclosed to the public, giving those who would leave rubbish intelligence regarding the location of cameras. “Be careful with the information that’s being put out here because there are people dumping all the time and I’d hate for them to have too much information about where CCTVs are and where they aren’t because it defeats the purpose,” she said.

“I’ve worked hard on particular ones to get the Anti Dumping Initiative to focus on them and to get CCTVs there and all that work could be gone out the window in two seconds if those who are dumping realise where the cameras are or aren’t.”

While praising the work of Tidy Town Committees who work hard to keep the sites clean, Cllr Moynihan also raised the delay in emptying the bins at the Bring sites even after members of the public bring it to the attention that certain bins are full. “I ring and I ring and I ring,” she added.

Cllr. Michael Looney, chairing the meeting, recommended the increase of fines from the present level of €150 to €500 or €1000. “Increase the fines and make sure you catch one or two and that will have an impact,” he said.

It was agreed to send the motion and comments of the councillors to the council’s Environment Special Policy Committee so that they could be considered in terms of the Council’s overall policy on the matter.