Galway litter blackspots highlighted in latest IBAL report

Irish Independent

2 days ago

In a recently published report, the group Irish Business Against Litter ranked 40 towns and cities nationwide from the cleanest to the most littered.
Galway City Centre was ranked tenth on the list, gaining one position since the previous survey, published in January.
However, this time Galway City Centre was labelled 'Clean to European Norms', and not 'Cleaner than European Norms' like in early 2025.
In particular, two areas, Galway Regional Hospital and South Park Jetty, were found heavily littered.
The An Taisce report reads: 'Galway City Centre again scored very well with 16 out of 25 sites getting the top litter grade and there were just two seriously littered ones.
'Top ranking sites included the Galway Famine Ship Memorial, Galway Shopping Centre, IDA Galway Business Park and The Prom. These sites were not just good with regards to litter, but overall presentation and maintenance was excellent.
'Galway Regional Hospital continues to be plagued by heavy levels of cigarette butts (and lower levels of food related litter). The South Park Jetty was heavily littered.'
The report highlighted at Galway Regional Hospital litter was mainly found at the Emergency Department entrances, with cigarette butts and food-related items as the most obvious litter items.
While South Park Jetty was described as 'almost like a boat graveyard' as 'the debris on the ground presented poorly, along with casually discarded litter.'
The report also added there was little improvement in Ballybane, in Galway City, since the previous inspection.
Ballybane was ranked 37th – losing two positions since the last report, where the area was in 35th position – and labelled as 'Littered', with Ballybane Industrial Estate and Ballybane Village being described as litter blackspots.
The An Taisce report reads: 'As a general note, extensive works / road works were noted at a couple of sites – they didn't impact in any negative way on the litter situation and will most likely contribute to an enhanced environment going forward.
'Ballybane Industrial Estate and Ballybane Village were both litter blackspots - they have been stubbornly so, for a long number of years. The Recycle Facility at Ballybane Shopping Centre was very much deserving of the top litter grade.'
In Ballybane Industrial Estate, IBAL said the old and broken signage already 'sets the tone for what lies ahead'.
The report reads inspectors found the yellow railing was bent and 'badly decayed', while much of the litter was around the unused outlets and in the immediate vicinity of the signage for Gordon Ryan Engineering Ltd.
'This area was particularly poor, not just littered but subject to dumping, much of it industrial debris e.g. wooden pallets / broken signage / bags of rubbish etc.'
In Ballybane Village, IBAL found 'very heavy levels of casual littering', with a wide variety of food related items, there were alcohol cans / bottles, newspapers, and plastic mouldings.
They added the shrubbery area had been subject to dumping and there were no visible litter bins or litter awareness signs.
'The overall impression here is a very poor one. Where does the responsibility for the cleaning regime at this area lie?'