Every month of the year, there is dumping along our road sides

Fly tipping is on the increase in Co Leitrim, Cllr Padraig Fallon said at the annual budget meeting. "In the last two weeks alone, I have reported three significant incidents ranging from 60 or 70 bags of stuff thrown over the side of a road in a rural area, to the abandonment of a car, to another fly tipping incident at a beauty spot in the north of the county."

Cllr Fallon stressed that it was something that had to be tackled and was "essential work".

Cllr Fallon also added he would like to see an increase in funding for the council's street sweeping service. 

He was speaking after a presentation from head of finance, Vincent Dwyer, in relation to Environmental Services which covers environment, fire service, the civil defence, etc. 

Mr Dwyer informed members there will be an increase in expenditure around waste enforcement and waste management and "we host a regional waste enforcement service for the Connaught/Ulster region and that is being enhanced through funding from central government with staff numbers increasing in 2024."

He also said following a deal for Retained Fire Fighters, there would be "significant costs for every local authority", the cost of which will likely be covered by the state. 

The WRC agreement proposals which were built on the foundation of a previous Labour Court recommendation include that there will be a minimum of 12 retained firefighters per station, with 6 available to respond, an increase in staff numbers of circa 20% (approx. 400 new retained firefighters) with a minimum of 12 firefighters in all fire stations; 50 additional promotional positions created and structured time off, that would enable a retained firefighter to be away from their station fire-ground area for up to 24 weeks a year.

Mr Dwyer said the deal poses a challenge as it has proven difficult in Leitrim, and most rural counties, to recruit firefighters over the last five to ten years. 

In relation to climate, a climate action coordinator and climate action officer have been appointed, with costs provided by central government, he advised members. 

Cllr Sean McDermott said that derelict sites in towns and villages are a "huge problem that keeps villages and towns from developing" and said he believed that needed to be dealt with using "enforcement". 

Mr Dwyer said community wardens were down to two but "we will get back up to three and in addition to that we will have a recruitment process to go through in relation to our waste enforcement unit."

Mr Dwyer said that "dumping and fly tipping are major problems" adding it's becoming more difficult to identify the perpetrators, but said that when they are identifiable, they are pursued through the courts. 

In relation to the cleaning of gullies, Cathaoirleach, Cllr Justin Warnock said that "floods running down these estates are a result of gullies not being cleared so maybe keep ahead of it rather than clear it when they are causing a problem," he suggested.

Full story in next week's Leitrim Observer...