It can be a dirty job, but many are out doing it...
WEXFORD MAY HAVE BEEN DEEMED THE CLEANEST TOWN IN IRELAND IN LAST WEEK'S IBAL LITTER LEAGUE TABLE, BUT PROBLEMS REMAIN AND ONGOING EFFORTS ARE NEEDED TO TACKLE THEM. CONOR CULLEN REPORTS.
Cllr. George Lawlor cleaning dog poo from the quays on Saturday morning, helped by Madeleine Quirke.
Wednesday September 01 2010
GEORGE LAWLOR can no doubt put a lot of things on his CV and he now has the distinction of being able to add 'poo patrol member' to the list.
The Councillor is a committee member of Wexford Tidy Towns and as such is expected to lead from then front. 'I volunteered to be part of a poo patrol,' he revealed, without a hint of regret.
George and his fellow patrol members will hit the quay front with the required cleaning and disposal tools to clear the mess left by any dogs with lazy/irresponsible owners (considering the quay comes with its own facilities there is no excuse).
However, the poo patrol is just one small element of the current Wexford Tidy Towns effort, with the organisation re-emerging as a force to be reckoned with again in 2010.
'It has been re-invigorated this year, with a serious push,' said George, who has been enjoying the clean-ups.
Though he is a Councillor and other members have also been helping out, George is keen to point out that it is a communityled effort, not a Council one. All work is voluntary.
The local authority can't be accused of fobbing off responsibility though as members Anthony Kelly, Ted Howlin and Fergie Kehoe have rolled their sleeves up and got stuck in, as have Pat Collins ( Town Clerk), Adrian Doyle ( Town Manager) and Tadhg O Corcora (Borough Engineer).
Around 30 people show up for the Saturday morning clean-ups, which last around two hours and happen every three to four weeks, with a different area to tackle each time.
To date, well over 500 bags of rubbish have been cleared by the Tidy Towns team, as well as an array of general cleaning and maintenance work, which involves everything from painting to gardening.
George said the committee are keen not to let momentum slip from their grasp and are currently working on a five-year plan for the Tidy Towns competition.
He is encouraging all willing volunteers to get involved. For further information (and plenty of photos of their good work), check out the Wexford Tidy Towns Facebook page.
