Anger over litter league placing

A NORTHSIDE councillor has criticised a survey that has labelled his area a litter blackspot.

Cllr Nial Ring (Ind) was speaking after publication of Irish Business Against Litter’s (IBAL) Anti-Litter League results, which showed that the North Inner City finished bottom of its table for 2013.

Cllr Ring claimed the report

“ignored

? Dublin City Council’s numerous initiatives and improvements in the area.

“The report, which again labels the North Inner City as a blackspot is, in my opinion, inaccurate, incorrect and damaging to the inner city’s reputation,” Cllr Ring told Northside People.

“Basically, IBAL includes residential areas, classifying them as Dublin City Centre, and by doing this ignores the tremendous work being done by Dublin City Council and Dublin City BID (Business Improvement District) in keeping our streets clean, through the city council’s normal cleaning services, augmented by the BID rapid response service.

“In addition, through an arrangement with the Probation Services and contractors, graffiti removal is organised in the North Inner City and vast amounts are removed on a monthly basis, for example 1,195sqm in November last.

?

Cllr Ring pointed out that a North Inner City Litter Action Group has also been established and carried out a major survey in the area over the past year.

Among other things, it has recommended the introduction of door-to-door checks in the area under new bye-laws whereby targeted householders and landlords will be required to produce evidence as to how their waste is being disposed.

“At resident association meetings throughout the North Inner City, public representatives are constantly being asked to address the issue through the introduction of legislation requiring landlords to take responsibility for the waste coming from their premises,

? added Cllr Ring.

A spokesman for IBAL said that in recent years, Irish Business Against Litter has selected a number of primarily residential areas within cities for assessment of litter levels, notably Dublin’s North Inner City and Cork’s Knocknaheeny.

“This is because it believes that litter is not just about tourism and commerce – citizens, too, deserve a clean environment,

? he told Northside People.

“These areas are disadvantaged and pose specific problems in terms of litter management.

“Dublin City Council and BID’s work in keeping the city centre itself clean has been well recognised by IBAL, but we believe it is not enough to keep the high footfall shopping streets and

‘high profile’ areas free of litter. Clean street are not just for tourists.

?

The spokesman said IBAL commissions An Taisce to survey the areas concerned and the results were not subjective, but based purely on the amount of litter present.

“In the case of Dublin’s North Inner City this continues to be too high,

? he added.

Meanwhile, Swords ward councillor Darragh Butler (FF) has congratulated Swords Tidy Towns on once again achieving the

‘Cleaner than European Norms’ classification in the same survey.

“It is a great testament to the fantastic Swords Tidy Towns team and a great reward for all of their continued hard work and devotion,

? said Cllr Butler.

“It is also a fitting tribute to the late Des Becton that Swords is once again classified as

‘Cleaner than European Norms’ as he played an important part in Swords achieving and then retaining this classification on an ongoing basis.

?

‘Dublin Airport Environs’ was

‘moderately littered’ according to the IBAL report.