If the authorities were looking for just the right photo opportunity to illustrate Ireland's litter problem, they found it yesterday in Dublin's O'Connell Street, where soft drink cans, fast-food cartons, bits of paper and even bottles were swirling around the Anna Livia fountain. The Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Mr Dan Wallace, obliged photographers by dipping his hand into the fountain - commonly known as the Floozie in the Jacuzzi - to fish out some of the detritus and pose glumly with what he caught.
The Dublin city manager, Mr John Fitzgerald, who was with him, said the fountain is "cleaned all day, every day" - but the litter bugs still defeated the corporation's best efforts. "Anywhere else in Europe, a fountain like this would be as clean as a whistle," he added.
Three other city managers - Mr Jack Higgins (Cork), Mr Joe Gavin (Galway) and Mr Eddie Breen (Waterford) - were also present to hear Mr Wallace announcing yet another series of measures "to combat the country's continuing litter problem".
Though "responsible action" by the public would be necessary to put an end to this "blight", the Minister of State made it clear the primary response in tackling it "must come from local authorities" using their enforcement powers under the 1997 Litter Pollution Act.
"We have to put the boot in," Mr Wallace declared. "The laws are there and they just need to be implemented. We're also setting up a new monitoring regime to keep tabs on the performance of local authorities in this area, because some of them have no litter wardens."
The number of litter wardens employed by Dublin Corporation will double this week to 14. Most of them will be patrolling the city centre on foot, but there are also two vans to provide the wardens with greater mobility in detecting and apprehending offenders.
Mr Des Malone, one of the most active litter wardens in the city, said he had just "done" three motorists yesterday morning for throwing cigarette butts out of their car windows. In each case, he imposed an on-the-spot fine of £25 which must be paid within 21 days.
Mr Kevin O'Sullivan, of the corporation's cleansing department, said the wardens had issued 3,000 on-the-spot fines since last July. "We have 40-odd in court this Friday. Fines can be quite hefty - as much as £1,500 for serious offences or £300 for throwing cigarette butts out of cars."
The new monitoring regime for local authorities is intended to encourage them to take a more "pro-active" role as well as to help identify and eliminate blackspots. Funding is to be provided for public education and awareness initiatives in the worst-polluted areas.
A new schools programme is being developed by ENFO, the environmental information service, and there will also be financial support for An Taisce's "National Spring Clean" project next year, which will include a central role for local authorities.
Over the coming weeks, Mr Wallace will be holding a series of meetings with city and county managers to stress the importance of taking stronger action on litter, by using some of the extra discretionary income they will receive from the local government fund.
Mr Jack Higgins, the Cork city manager, agreed it needed to be tackled, as evidenced by the ocean of litter left behind by crowds attending St Patrick's Day parades. "We have to face up to the fact that we are a dirty people and this is a cultural problem."
