Illegal dumpers “should be locked up in jail?”

By Dan Walsh at the July meeting of Wexford County Council

The Minister of State with responsibility for the Circular Economy Alan Dillon recently confirmed that he has signed the commencement order providing for a substantial increase in litter fines.

From September 1^st, 2026, the fixed-payment on-the-spot fine for littering will rise from €150 to €250.

The matter was raised at Monday’s monthly meeting of Wexford County Council held in the Council Chamber, County Hall, Wexford by Gorey Kilmuckridge Cllr Paddy Kavanagh who described the Minister’s action as “a joke.”

Cllr Kavanagh told the members of a disgusting and sickening event near Enniscorthy recently concerning illegal dumping or so-called fly tipping.

Cllr Kavanagh described approaching a black plastic sheet and when it was taken back it contained the decaying carcase of a dead goat! The smell was horrendous and Wexford County Council staff who are normally charged with removing illegal dumping content, were removed from the scene on health and safety grounds.  A knackery company had to be brought in at extra cost to remove the offensive carcase which threatened public health.

Cllr Kavanagh was angry and stated that the perpetrators should be fined “thousands of euro” and “should be locked up in jail!”

“I don’t expect to see an end to fly tipping,” said Cllr Kavanagh, who added; “Nobody ever seems to be caught! Yet, they can inflict rubbish on the community and on the outskirts of towns and villages. It is horrendous what they are doing to our environment and countryside”, added Cllr Kavanagh.