Over 100 bags of rubbish which were detected in the Foxford area led to the prosecution of one of the litter offenders at Foxford District Court this week.
A plea to illegally dumping litter was entered into by Michael Igoe, Cullonaughton, Foxford following his detection earlier this year. Liam Rabbitte, Environment Enforcement Officer with Mayo County Council, told the court that on February 5 he received a call from the litter warden from the Ballina/Foxford area who reported a large-scale litter find in Craggagh, on a slope of a hill, beside a graveyard. The EEO attended the scene at 2pm and found over 100 bags of rubbish that had been dumped. It took around an hour for the EEO to sift through them.
Two names were discovered in the rubbish pile, one being the defendant’s, and another name—proceedings will also be issued against them.
Judge Mary Devins described the photographic evidence which was presented to her as “truly horrendous”.
The EEO explained that the rubbish has not yet been cleaned up as there is not enough manpower to tackle the job and that it would cost an estimated €6,000 to do so. The rubbish is now covered by overgrowth.
Defending solicitor for Igoe said that the 70-year-old, who lives alone in an isolated area, claims that he only disposed of two rubbish bags and that he “is one of many” who got rid of his rubbish here as there is no local authority collection near him.
Judge Devins convicted and fined the defendant €750 and ordered that €500 also be paid towards costs.
