Galway City Council leads new crackdown on litter problem in Ballybane
A new initiative spearheaded by Galway City Council will target the scourge of illegal dumping in Ballybane.
The area has been highlighted as a litter blackspot in many IBAL (Irish Business Against Litter) surveys in recent years and a workshop hosted by the Council brought the community together to find solutions.
Gardaí and community leaders were all involved in the solutions-focused workshop, which took place last Friday (April 10).
Participants agreed to combat litter and dumping hotspots over a 12-month project, which partners with local residents, community representatives, An Garda Síochána, the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLA) and Galway City Council staff from Housing, Community, Recreation and Amenity, Climate Action and Environment Sections.
The project over the next year will target litter and illegal dumping through enforcement, prevention, abatement and education.
David Walsh, Waste Enforcement Officer, Galway City Council said: “Communities in Ballybane have a long tradition of anti-litter initiatives including litter picks; planting; the ‘Last Wolf of Merlin’ mural and Irish poem on Sruthán Mhuirlinne; mural and planting projects in Sliabh Rua and Fána Glas; and taking ownership and caring for green spaces. Unfortunately, there are still a number of litter and dumping hotspots which remain problem areas, which is reflected in the IBAL results every year. We are looking to address these issues through a community-led project, underpinned by principles of participation, empowerment, local leadership and collective action to build sustainable, community-owned change.”
Galway City Councillor Helen Ogbu, Labour's Bye-election candidate in Galway West, welcomed the initiative, and called for “urgent, sustained action to deliver real improvements for local residents.”
“community involvement has to be at the heart of this. Residents must be central to every decision taken. These are their streets and their shared spaces. When people are supported to take ownership of their area, we see lasting change. Top-down approaches alone will not solve this problem. It requires partnership, trust and proper resourcing,” said Cllr Ogbu.