Street sweeping discussion
The difficulty in keeping the streets of Kilcullen litter-free was again raised at the recent KCA meeting, in a discussion on the town's improved performance in the national Tidy Towns competition.
There was some criticism of Kildare County Council in this respect, as a weekly official litter pick by the council hadn't taken place in the week of a second visit by the adjudicators.
"We just didn't get backup from the Council on litter," Noel Clare told the meeting. "That visit also coincided with when The Valley was going through a 'low period', before the guards started taking action."
There was a consensus of commendation for the garda actions, especially when Noel Clare said further fines have been issued to people drinking by the riverside.
In relation to the overall cleaning of the streets by Council operatives, KCA chairman Kieron Forde said he had been informed by the town engineer that he 'can't get the men to sweep the footpaths'.
"It must be something to do with their job description," he suggested.
Noel Clare said he had observed three of the operatives on one occasion walking down the footpath together, picking up litter by hand without even having bags to put it in.
Tony Gahan added that the operatives won't pick up anything that is not on the footpath either, nor do cigarette butts come under their brief.
"Cigarette butts need to be swept," Celia Travers noted. The situation was clear: if the Council operatives won't sweep, cigarette butts are ergo left on the footpaths.
An ensuing discussion rehearsed an old situation whereby the community cannot employ anybody to clean the streets except at weekends, when Council operatives don't work.
And the previous situation prior to the retirement from the Council of full-time Kilcullen street sweeper Paddy Mitchell was also recalled.
It was noted that at that time, there was a person in the town willing to take on the job, but the Council wouldn't continue the post.
"That person would still be available," Noel Clare said.
Brian Byrne.
