Local Independent Councillor, Michael O’Brien, has welcomed progress in the fight against illegal dumping and dog fouling across the Athlone Municipal District.
The issue has been raised by Cllr O’Brien in numerous meetings of the Athlone Municipal District and Westmeath County Council in the past. Speaking this week, he said: “The issue of illegal dumping and dog fouling on our footpaths and walkways is an issue that constituents raise with me on a daily basis. I’ve raised the issue on many occasions since my election to Westmeath County Council so I’m delighted to see some action being taken.”
“This week I’ve asked the council to locate its new mobile CCTV units across illegal dumping black spots in the Athlone Municipal District. We are all familiar with many of the black spots so I’m delighted to see the council taking action with the provision of mobile CCTV units in the coming weeks. Illegal dumping is a terrible scourge that continues to blight our towns and countryside; it must no longer be tolerated.
“I welcome these new CCTV mobile units and hopefully evidence can be found in order to bring forward prosecutions and make the perpetrators of this rotten behaviour pay for their actions.”
Cllr O’Brien has also called for the imposition of a second litter warden for the Athlone district: “At the moment there is only one community litter warden for the entire Athlone district,” he said. “I feel if we are to be serious about this issue the council must take on an additional warden in order to help fight this battle.
“On two occasions I brought forward a motion calling on the council to recruit an additional litter/dog warden who would be on the beat and act as a deterrent to people who engage in illegal dumping and those who don’t pick up after their dogs. On both occasions I received the full support from my council colleagues. The council have agreed to provide more resources on the ground, but we mightn’t see a full time additional warden until it gets the approval from council members at the 2017 budget meeting in November.”
