A chara, – Full marks to David Maher for his clear and concise letter (April 22nd) on the local clean-ups and illegal dumping.
Community clean-ups are admirable but the reality is, as Mr Maher pointed out, that if there is a financial incentive to dump, then some people will dump, leaving others to clean up, and voluntary clean-ups can only achieve so much.
As a recreational cyclist around the Straffan, Ardclough and Celbridge area, I can say that what was once a pleasurable outing is now almost depressing, not because of illegal littering but because of illegal dumping.
Hedgerows and ditches are now littered with pillows, quilts, bedside lockers, bed frames, fridges and the like.
And what an intelligent suggestion it is to use the property tax to fund the disposal of waste and the protection of our environment, and remove the element of choice, especially when the choice is to dump or not to dump.
I echo and endorse Mr Maher’s call for the Minister for the Environment to provide household waste disposal paid for from the local property tax and for political parties to get off the fence and see the litter – and do something positive about it. – Is mise,
GARY DOYLE,
Straffan,
Co Kildare.