Staff of Clare County Council joined the Lisdoonvarna Fanore Sea Angling Club and members of the North Clare community recently completed a clean-up of litter blackspots along the coastline at Blackhead, Arkeen and Ballyreen.
The clean-up is part of ongoing efforts to counteract the increasing problem of illegal dumping and littering along the County’s coastline.
30 people, comprising 5 staff from Clare County Council, 8 members of the Sea Angling Club and 17 local residents participated in the recent clean-up. Over 50 bags of waste was collected and disposed of by Clare County Council. Clare County Council erected additional “No Dumping” signage at the locations and plans are in place to erect pictorial signage in the near future. The Council said it will continue to patrol and monitor the areas on a regular basis.
Cllr. Pat Daly, Mayor of Clare commented: “This clean-up was organised after the Lisdoonvarna Fanore Sea Angling Club brought the littering and dumping problem to the attention of Clare County Council. It is a great example of a partnership approach between a local club, local community and the local authority in solving an ongoing problem of littering. This approach also helps eradicate litter/waste from the beautiful coastline of County Clare for the benefit of our locals and tourists alike.”
Commenting on the clean-up, Mr. James Linnane, Secretary of the Lisdoonvarna Fanore Sea Angling Club, stated: “The Lisdoonvarna Fanore Sea Angling Club has been promoting sea angling in the North Clare/Fanore area for the past fifty years and the sport is now a significant economic benefit annually to the area. In recent years we have seen a major deterioration in the shore area due to the amount of indiscriminate dumping of litter in the angling areas of Blackhead and Ballyreen. Apart from the environmental effects this would cause on the shore, and complaints from visiting anglers this year, it certainly would have a detrimental effect in the promotion of future angling events in the Fanore area if the problem was allowed to continue.”
“Now that the area is completely litter free following the clean-up, every effort will be made to keep it this way. This exercise is a fitting example of how a problem like this can be solved by all interested parties coming together with a common purpose in mind,” added Mr. Linane.
Betty Devanny, Administrative Officer in the Environment Section, stated: “This is a problem that is not unique to the North Clare area but unfortunately is a problem all along the Clare coastline. Despite ongoing patrolling and monitoring by Council’s Community Wardens/Environmental Patrol Wardens the problem continues. Clare County Council will continue to work closely with the Lisdoonvarna Fanore Sea Angling Club and the local community to help eradicate the problem of illegal dumping and littering.”
“I wish to acknowledge the support of the Lisdoonvarna Fanore Sea Angling Club, the local community and Clare County Council for their assistance with this voluntary clean-up of this scenic area of North Clare. I am encouraging other groups to take a similar approach to this angling club in relation to eradicating illegal dumping/littering from County Clare’s Coastline. One of the objectives of Clare County Council’s litter Management Plan 2010 - 2013 is working in partnership and co-operation with local voluntary and community groups, businesses, schools, residents associations, Gardaí and the citizens of County Clare in order to obtain a litter free environment. This objective has certainly been achieved in the North Clare coastline,” Ms. Devanny concluded.
The clean-up is part of ongoing efforts to counteract the increasing problem of illegal dumping and littering along the County’s coastline.
30 people, comprising 5 staff from Clare County Council, 8 members of the Sea Angling Club and 17 local residents participated in the recent clean-up. Over 50 bags of waste was collected and disposed of by Clare County Council. Clare County Council erected additional “No Dumping” signage at the locations and plans are in place to erect pictorial signage in the near future. The Council said it will continue to patrol and monitor the areas on a regular basis.
Cllr. Pat Daly, Mayor of Clare commented: “This clean-up was organised after the Lisdoonvarna Fanore Sea Angling Club brought the littering and dumping problem to the attention of Clare County Council. It is a great example of a partnership approach between a local club, local community and the local authority in solving an ongoing problem of littering. This approach also helps eradicate litter/waste from the beautiful coastline of County Clare for the benefit of our locals and tourists alike.”
Commenting on the clean-up, Mr. James Linnane, Secretary of the Lisdoonvarna Fanore Sea Angling Club, stated: “The Lisdoonvarna Fanore Sea Angling Club has been promoting sea angling in the North Clare/Fanore area for the past fifty years and the sport is now a significant economic benefit annually to the area. In recent years we have seen a major deterioration in the shore area due to the amount of indiscriminate dumping of litter in the angling areas of Blackhead and Ballyreen. Apart from the environmental effects this would cause on the shore, and complaints from visiting anglers this year, it certainly would have a detrimental effect in the promotion of future angling events in the Fanore area if the problem was allowed to continue.”
“Now that the area is completely litter free following the clean-up, every effort will be made to keep it this way. This exercise is a fitting example of how a problem like this can be solved by all interested parties coming together with a common purpose in mind,” added Mr. Linane.
Betty Devanny, Administrative Officer in the Environment Section, stated: “This is a problem that is not unique to the North Clare area but unfortunately is a problem all along the Clare coastline. Despite ongoing patrolling and monitoring by Council’s Community Wardens/Environmental Patrol Wardens the problem continues. Clare County Council will continue to work closely with the Lisdoonvarna Fanore Sea Angling Club and the local community to help eradicate the problem of illegal dumping and littering.”
“I wish to acknowledge the support of the Lisdoonvarna Fanore Sea Angling Club, the local community and Clare County Council for their assistance with this voluntary clean-up of this scenic area of North Clare. I am encouraging other groups to take a similar approach to this angling club in relation to eradicating illegal dumping/littering from County Clare’s Coastline. One of the objectives of Clare County Council’s litter Management Plan 2010 - 2013 is working in partnership and co-operation with local voluntary and community groups, businesses, schools, residents associations, Gardaí and the citizens of County Clare in order to obtain a litter free environment. This objective has certainly been achieved in the North Clare coastline,” Ms. Devanny concluded.
