Outdoor dining has possibly contributed to an increased problem with litter in Killarney according to the authors of the most recent Irish Business Against Litter survey.
Killarney has dropped from 2nd place to 22nd in the survey of 40 towns nationwide. Tralee is ranked in 23rd position.
The An Taisce report for Killarney found that it was the reduction in the number of top-ranking sites which brought down Killarney's overall ranking. There were no heavily littered sites. High Street, Killarney Train Station and Port Road were all in very good order, not just in regard to litter but overall maintenance.
The report found that it would seem that the 'outdoor dining' was contributing to the litter presence along Scott's Street, based on the menus, food waste and salt & pepper sachets on the ground. The authors said Killarney House and Gardens was a wonderful resource and most of it was very clean, but it was impossible to ignore the litter close to the entrance and signage.
The An Taisce report for Tralee said it was a solid performance by Tralee with no seriously littered sites. A miscellaneous site on Mitchel Street which was heavily littered last year has since been boarded up and fared somewhat better but was still somewhat littered.
It describes Tralee Town Park as a lovely environment, with so many different aspects and features within, all in very good order. While work continues along The Mall, the report found this didn't impact in any negative way on the litter situation.
