A new machine to clean Limerick's streets and footpaths of chewing gum has been lying idle for a number of months because Limerick Corporation is awaiting staff agreement to use it, a corporation official has confirmed.
The problem with people spitting out chewing gum was now a major one, and virtually every cobbled square on Cruises Street was covered in gum.
A corporation executive engineer, Mr Pat Eyres, pointed out that airports ban the sale of gum, but the corporation cannot do the same.