County Galway Policing Committee told that jail sentences should be brought in to combat litter offences

From Galway Bay FM newsroom- There was a suggestion at this week’s meeting of the County Galway Policing Committee that jail sentences should be brought in to combat litter offences.

Gerard Larkin, a community representative on the Policing Committee, said the littering problem had now reached the point where stiffer sanctions are needed.

Gerry Larkin said that litter dumping is now rampant throughout the County. Rural byroads and low-density population areas are particularly badly hit by this problem, Mr. Larkin stated.

He acknowledged that it was not possible to patrol every road and the probability of offenders being caught was, he estimated, one in a hundred.

He said it is time for custodial sentences to be brought in for littering offenses, as the problem, as he sees it, is gone out of control.

The Policing committee was told in a report from Galway County Council that €120,000 has been spent on clearing up various litter dumping locations. It was stated that the Council could not yet use cameras for detecting offenders and that the legislation that may permit the use of cameras is only making its way slowly through the House of the Oireachtas.

It was stated that TD’s had been written to about the need for legislation to be enacted, without delay, in order that cameras may be re-introduced.