Galway beaten by Waterford for cleanest city IBAL title

Date Published: {J}

by Denise McNamara

Galway narrowly failed to regain the title as the cleanest city in the country after rubbish thrown at Merlin Park Hospital edged it into 13th place.

The city council has once again turned up the ante on its fight against litter jumping 15 places in the 2011 survey of 53 cities and towns carried out the environmental watchdog An Taoisce on behalf of the group, Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL).

The capital of the west was at 13th spot, just behind Waterford, and was deemed clean to European norms.

The only major litter black spot in the city was at Merlin Park Hospital where the inspectors found the main entrance and surrounding area to be in good order but noted a considerable amount of rubbish, mainly fast food wrappers and coffee cups, on the path and grass inside the front wall close to the bus stop.

“Were it not for this site Galway City would be the cleanest city. The hospital is responsible, the corporation should ensure that the area is free of litter,” according to the report.

But that was the only black mark on an otherwise positive report card.

“First impressions are important. This was an excellent result for Galway City where well over three quarters of the sites surveyed got the top litter grade,” the inspectors noted.

“The Promenade has for quite some time been plagued by dreadful dog fouling – not so this time around and hopefully this can be sustained. Spanish Arch was in very good condition and this compares very favourably with the same site some years ago when first included in IBAL anti-litter survey.

“McDonald’s at Westside Shopping Centre and Nolio’s Pizza outlet were both in very good order. Maud’s Ice-Cream Parlour in Salthill scored very well, considering the high number of customers.

“While the majority of the city centre sites have scored very well the approach routes were moderately littered – Limerick Approach, Orangbeg Approach and Carrowmoneash Roundabout to Martin Roundabout.”

Tuam came in 27th, the only other Galway area surveyed, which was also a big improvement from 40th place in 2010.

Dublin was declared the dirtiest city in the country with approach roads from Dublin Airport and a rise in vacant and derelict properties contributing to their poor result.

Killarney took the accolade of cleanest town making it to the top of the IBAL list this year.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.