Call to seize vehicles from illegal dumpers

New legislation that would enable the seizing of vehicles caught illegally dumping waste alongside roads may be brought into law, at the suggestion of Galway West TD Noel Grealish.

Deputy Grealish said this week that such a move was the only way to tackle indiscriminate and repeated dumping of waste at locations such as the N84 Galway to Headford Road.

He said he had raised the issue with Denis Naughten, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, who has agreed to look into bringing forward legislation.

Deputy Grealish, who also raised the issue at Monday’s meeting of the Galway Joint Policing Committee, said that the problem of illegal dumping on the Headford Road had increased since pay-by-weight refuse collection charges had been introduced.

“You now have people making a business of fly-tipping, collecting waste from houses and elsewhere and just dumping it on the roadside since the charges were changed.

“It’s not just confined to the N84 Headford Road either — this is happening all over the county, especially along bog roads and other locations where people reckon they won’t be seen,” said the Independent TD.

“I know the Gardaí and the Council are doing all they can to prevent illegal dumping, but it seems to be a losing battle.

“You’ll see all kinds of stuff dumped, everything from old fridges and mattresses to household and building waste.

“Very often it’s beside water courses, with the accompanying danger of pollution, apart from the fact that this dumping creates eyesores, often at scenic locations.

“The best option now as I see it is to do all we can to make these people think twice before doing this.

“I met recently with Minister Denis Naughten and put it to him that we need legislation that will see the vehicles of people caught dumping being seized, and only returned to them on payment of a massive fine.

“The Minister agreed that it was a very good idea and he has officials in his Department looking at the possibility of bringing forward legislation to this effect.”

Deputy Grealish said it seemed that current laws were not a sufficient deterrent and the potential seizing of their vehicles — coupled with increased patrols by Gardaí and greater use of CCTV at dumping blackspot locations — might be the only thing to stop offenders.

“I also feel that anyone caught illegal dumping a second time should have their vehicle seized and not returned to them. We have to take stronger measures to stop this blight on our landscapes.

“Last year, more than €112,000 was spent on an anti-dumping initiative in Galway and that’s money that should be available for improving our health services or repairing the roads.”