Madam, - When walking home on Tuesday along the Grand Canal I was shocked by the filth left floating in the water and along the banks. At 5.15pm the bins overflowing from the weekend had still to be emptied. Surely on such a busy weekend Dublin City Council should provide extra collections as the canal is a major attraction in good weather.
But it is the people who picnic, drink and fish along the canal who must take the majority of the blame. I have seen what appear to be perfectly respectable people throwing lunch wrappers and drinks cartons into the canal or leave rubbish on the benches and walk away without a second thought.
I do not have an answer to such behaviour but surely the penalties for littering should be increased ten-fold, no matter how small the offence. The disgusted looks on tourists' faces said it all; I do not imagine they will come back to these shores. - Yours, etc,
JOHN RYAN, Mourne Road, Dublin 12.