Independent Councillor Terry O’Flaherty has called on Galway City Council to take action against a small number of householders who refuse to pay for domestic waste collections and dump their refuse instead in local alleyways and green spaces.
She issued the appeal in the wake of a major clean-up which took place in Ballybane on Saturday. The rubbish collected filled four skips.
“It was absolutely disgusting what we had to pick up, hundreds of soiled nappies and all kinds of household waste, everything that you could possibly imagine. It was just awful,” she said.
Councillor O’Flaherty joined forces with more than 35 people from five different residents’ associations for the clean-up, along with fellow city councillors John Walsh and Mairéad Farrell.
“Everyone who turned up did trojan work on the day and we had four skips to fill with the rubbish. You could see a big difference afterwards. They really deserve great credit, as do the city council’s Edward Conlon, together with staff from the Environment Department and Donal Lynch, who organised the event.”
She said that all householders must be registered with a waste collection service. However, a small number of people refuse to abide by the law.
“Some people feel they can do what they like and never mind their neighbours. There are very good people living in these estates who take pride in their homes but there are certain people who ruin it for them and just dump their rubbish wherever they like.
“It’s time the city council took action against these people and bring them to court. If everyone had bins, there would be no need for them to be throwing their soiled nappies and all their household waste out onto a public area. It’s a sad fact that these people will continue to flout the law until it hits them in the pocket with court fines.”
Cllr O’Flaherty has written to the head of the Community Wardens’ Service seeking the removal of a number of abandoned vehicles in the Béal Srutha estate in Ballybane.
“These included a van without number plates, tax or insurance, and a broken down car without no tax or insurance, as well as a horse box and a trailer which is parked across the footpath, blocking access, and filled with tyres and other discarded household items.
“If those vehicles are left in this area, there is every probability that they will be burnt out by some unscrupulous individuals,” she warned.
