Illegal dumping in the Derryfadda Bog near Ballyforan, where 97 bags worth of rubbish was collected from the site, has highlighted the scale of the problem in County Galway.
This follows a similar situation in Ballygar where a JCB and flatbed truck had to be used to clear the amount of illegally dumped material in the area. The situation has been described by Sinn Féin Galway East representative, Louis O’Hara, as “a growing problem” which is now a “blight on our communities”.
.
Mr O’Hara, who secured 16.7 percent of the first preference votes in the 2020 general election, and lasted until the eighth and final count, has now launched a survey on illegal dumping in the county, and is calling on the public to take part, make their views on the issue known, and propose potential solutions.
'Illegal dumping is a huge strain on the resources of the Galway County Council and takes funding away from services where it is badly needed'
“Illegal dumping is frustrating for the vast majority who pay for their waste collection,” he said. “The shocking incidents in Ballygar and Derryfadda are not the only incidents. I have been contacted by numerous people across the county over the past number of months concerned about increased illegal dumping in their local area.”
.
Mr O’Hara said illegal dumping had negative impacts, not only environmentally, but also financially. “More than €100 million euro per year is being spent by local authorities on addressing the issue,” he said. “It is a huge strain on the resources of the Galway County Council and takes funding away from services where it is badly needed.”
Mr O’Hara is hopeful that the survey can provide a starting point for addressing the issue. “High waste collection charges, a lack of waste collection and recycling centres, inadequate penalties for illegal dumping, and a lack of enforcement are just some of the issues that need to be addressed,” he said.
“We will analyze and collate the responses to the survey and raise them with both the Galway County Council and the Government to highlight what needs to be done.”
