Business group reveals concerns over littering in Limerick

A BUSINESS group has raised concerns over levels of littering in Limerick city centre.

The Irish Business Against Litter (Ibal) consortium in its twice-yearly report deemed the urban area to be moderately littered and is placed in 33rd place in a table of 40 towns and cities across the State.

While the city has seen improvements from previous reports, which had deemed it seriously littered, the inspectors appointed by Ibal from An Taisce identified issues across the city.

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On a vacant building in Cecil Street, the inspectors wrote: "Signage on the hall door: ‘Do not Enter: Unstable Floor Structure’ pretty much sets the tone for this heavily dumped upon site. Overall impression was a very very poor one."

A site in Mallow Street was also deemed as "heavily littered", as was a laneway off Parnell Street, in which the inspectors noted: "a mix of recent and long-lie items, the latter indicating a lack of throughout cleaning for quite some time."

"As well as heavy levels of a variety of food related items, there was a piece of furniture," their report added.

Concerns were also raised over a site at the corner of Hyde Road and Limerick Colbert station.

However, there was better news for O'Connell Street, with the inspectors praising the new pedestrianisation of Limerick's main thoroughfare.

"A virtual absence of litter throughout" was how they saw things, noting the "lovely paving, the stainless steel bollards" and "tree planting".

Seating areas in Patrick Street were "devoid of litter", while Arthur's Quay Shopping Centre and Arthur's Quay Park were praised.

Elsewhere, the Galvone Industrial Estate recorded its best ever result since it has started being included in Ibal surveys.

Naas in Kildare was named Ireland's tidiest town in the survey.