A ‘zero tolerance, no nonsense’ approach must be implemented on tenants of local authority houses who engage in dumping.
Expressing his view this week, Cllr. Aengus O’Rourke, railed against the eyesore nature in which some of the Municipal District’s housing estates are maintained.
“I am sad to see the ongoing dumping of bags, ashes, cans and furniture in public spaces in some of our local authority estates. While the vast majority of people are fantastic and care for their estates and communities, we still have people continue to vandalise in this manner. I feel very frustrated about this issue and I am adamant that we act now, once and for all,” the Councillor stressed.
Venting his frustration, Cllr. O’Rourke added that some local authority residents continuously flaunt the dumping regulations.
“Incredibly, these people are adults who would rather abuse their own area, attract vermin into their estate and cause a health and safety risk to children, rather than pay money to have their waste removed, like everyone else,” Cllr. O’Rourke continued.
Emphasising the need for the Municipal District to call to those residents who are not complying with the dumping law, Cllr. O’Rourke stated that the local authority needed to be more ‘robust’ when it comes to taking relevant action.
“I am standing by the people who do care for their areas by calling on the Council to knock on the doors of those who we know to be ‘dumpers’ and ask them to prove how they dispose of their weekly or fortnightly refuse. In my eyes, these people are guilty unless they can produce a receipt from a waste collection company for their weekly or fortnightly refuse collection.
“As a local authority, we have large numbers on our housing list. These people should be accommodated if illegal dumping by present incumbents persists. So, it’s time now to shake down those who dump, confront them face to face, demand proof of their waste collection and if they continue, evict them.
“The local authority should no longer show mercy to dumpers. I am demanding that we give them one last chance to clean up their act or evict them,” Cllr. O’Rourke vehemently stated.
Calling on the local authority to issue a strongly worded letter to those tenants who contravene the dumping regulations illustrating ‘our resolute approach’, Cllr. O’Rourke requested the Westmeath County Council Director of Housing, David Hogan, attend the September meeting of the Municipal District to hear these ongoing environmental concerns.
