County councillors exasperated as dumping hits epidemic proportions
EXASPERATION was the palpable feeling at last week’s meeting of Wexford County Council when the topic of illegal dumping was broached. Despite restrictions, it appears that Covid is not the only area in which Wexford is seeing a spike, with instances of large scale illegal dumping sadly becoming more and more visible on roadsides around the model county.
While some members called for greater support to be given to community clean-up projects, it was argued that now is not the right time, given government directions to stay home, as well as the dark wet evenings.
Cllr Jim Codd asked whether there was any update on GDPR issues which had prevented CCTV footage being used in prosecutions, while Cllr Garry Laffan sought a greater effort to be made in terms of calling on people to prove how they dispose of their waste.
Director of Services Carolyne Godkin said that while 2020 saw less fines issued for littering, the call-outs for the council’s rapid response cleanup team remained at the same level. She said that 20 littering prosecutions had been secured, but noted that they can only proceed where a complaint is made and people are willing to go to court and testify.
In relation to CCTV, she said that it was no longer being used due to GDPR issues, but that it’s use was ‘relatively small in terms of securing convictions’.
Cllr Barbara Anne Murphy said that ‘our rural and urban areas are destroyed’, while Cllr John Fleming noted that on a road near his home recently, there was a fridge freezer and a cooker dumped, partially blocking the road.
Cllr Pat Barden had a heated exchange with Council Chief Executive on subject of dumping, calling for a fresh approach.
‘It’s getting worse,’ he said. ‘Before you might see it on a back road or down side roads. Now it’s on primary and secondary routes all over the county. Nearly every road is destroyed and we’re doing next to nothing about it. I’d like to suggest a special committee to look at doing something on this blight on our landscape. It’s a massive problem and we need to think outside the box.’
‘I understand the members’ frustrations,’ Mr Enright replied. ‘It’s not fair to say that we’re doing nothing. We’re trying to do a lot to identify and prosecute those responsible for this type of behaviour.
People are getting smarter and extracting any info that might have addresses or identifying information from the rubbish. We can’t have someone on every crossroad in the county. We’re trying to create public awareness. We’re open to suggestions. We could certainly establish a sub committee to the environment committee on this.’
‘We’re not getting anywhere, it’s a disgrace,’ Cllr Barden said. ‘The Clonroche road is a dump.’
‘Well what can we do to stop that?’ Mr Enright shot back.
‘We need to approach this in a different way. Something has to be done,’ Cllr Barden concluded.