OPINION: Tougher action needed by Offaly County Council against litter louts

IN 2024 there was just one litter fine issued for the whole of county Offaly. More than likely a similar statistic will emerge in due course in relation to the year gone by.

This is very disheartening for all citizens who cherish their local area – be it town, village or countryside – and want it to appear at its very best.

But it is particularly disheartening for volunteers involved in Tidy Towns groups throughout the region and other community groups.

In Tullamore last Sunday a new initiative was launched by the local Tidy Towns group to "shame" litter louts and dog walkers who fail to clean-up after their pets.

The initiative has been driven by the frustration of members who are all too familiar with dumping by repeat offenders at certain areas, such as along the banks of the Grand Canal.

READ MORE: Tullamore Tidy Towns to 'shame' litter louts and rogue dog walkers

Fly-tipping is also a problem in many areas and thankfully local authorities seem to be much pro-active in tackling this scourge with a number of offenders having appeared before the courts.

But local authorities need to take a much tougher line with casual littering, such as the dropping of cigarette butts and sweet wrappers.

There is no better deterrent than hitting offenders where in hurts most – in their pockets.

Certainly local authorities are hard-pressed for resources but more attention needs to be paid to littering, from both an aesthetic and economic viewpoint.

Tourism is one of Ireland's biggest industries and certainly visitors will not return to an area which they perceive as littered and dirty.

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Last September the results of the 2024 National Litter Pollution Monitoring System (NLPMS) were released which reported that littering is getting worse in Ireland, with cigarette butts and chewing gum the main culprits.

Announcing the results, Minister of State with responsibility for the Circular Economy Alan Dillon warned of the need to “remain vigilant” against litter.

“We must remain vigilant. Tackling litter pollution requires a collective effort from regulatory bodies, communities and individuals,” stressed the Minister.

The research suggests passing pedestrians continue to be the main cause of litter pollution – 39.4% of litter was caused by this group in 2024.

Passing motorists were the second major reason for rubbish. Retail outlets, gathering points, places of leisure, fast food outlets, schools and bus stops were also significant culprits.

Illegal dumping only accounted for 2.6% of all litter found.

The main litter items found were chewing gum and cigarette butts while sweet wrappers and vape related litter were also in the top ten rubbish items found.

The results will come as no surprise to anyone living, working or shopping in any of our towns and cities.

However, tribute must be paid to Tidy Towns volunteers and the majority of retail and business owners who work hard to ensure their areas and premises are litter free.

In Tullamore this was rewarded earlier this month when the town featured among the best in the country out of the forty towns and cities assessed in the annual Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey.

Tullamore finished 5th in the 2025 rankings which meant that they were deemed to be cleaner than European norms; it marked an improvement of four places from 2024's 9th place for the Offaly county town.

Local TD Tony McCormack hailed the progress the town has made in the litter rankings over the years. He said: "It puts into perspective just how far the town has come. Back in 2008, Tullamore was ranked bottom of the table and was deemed one of the worst towns in the country for litter. The transformation since then has been nothing short of remarkable."

The Fianna Fáil politician added: "This progress doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of years of hard work, dedication and long hours by so many people, especially the outstanding volunteers with Tullamore Tidy Towns, along with residents, local businesses and council staff."