Ireland’s multi-million euro investment in the Gathering project next year will be undermined if cleaning levels in towns and cities are not maintained, according to Dr Tom Cavanagh, Chairman of Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL).
Dr Cavanagh says IBAL is concerned that in the current climate local authorities might cut back on cleaning schedules in 2013 and jeopardise the success of The Gathering. “There is a lot of expectation inIrelandsurrounding the Gathering, but we need to start talking about basic housekeeping to ensure these guests arrive to a clean and well-presented country,“ he says. “Ploughing money into attracting visitors on the one hand, while cutting back on keeping the place free of litter at the same time, would be a very misplaced policy. In the current environment local authorities need to look at cost-effective ways to maintain cleanliness levels. Enforcing fines on property owners who fail to heed the Litter Act, as opposed to individuals, is one.”
The IBAL Anti-Litter League programme has seen litter levels inIrelandimprove dramatically to exceed the European average, with 75% of our towns and cities now deemed clean.