Residents of Galway’s litter hotspot launch one-year plan to increase cleanliness rating
Galway groups have launched a 12-month initiative to clean up Ballybane, one of the most littered areas of the city.
A 12-month initiative for litter clean up in the east of Galway city has been taken on by a variety of groups, after Ballybane received one of the lowest litter survey score this year.
Last week, local community members in Ballybane and Galway City Council came together to establish a game plan to combat an ongoing litter and dumping problem.
Over the next year, residents, community representatives, An Garda Síochána, the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLA) and Galway City Council staff will identify high need areas, patterns, poorly lit and isolated places that are often targeted for dumping.
An Garda Síochána will engage in action days which include investigations into illegal dumping and operating checkpoints for waste collectors. In addition, CCTV coverage will be in place at hotspot areas.
The first project will be the removal of shrub and bushes in the Ballybane Neighbourhood Village, a spot notorious for illegal dumping.
Galway City Councillor Helen Ogbu said the meeting brought “the right people” around the table for a “constructive and necessary intervention.”
“Community involvement has to be at the heart of this. Residents must be central to every decision taken. These are their streets and their shared spaces. When people are supported to take ownership of their area, we see lasting change,” Cllr Ogbu added.
“Top-down approaches alone will not solve this problem. It requires partnership, trust and proper resourcing.”
With funding provided by an Anti-Dumping Initiative from the Climate, Energy, and Environment Department, the programme will include enforcement, prevention, abatement and education.
While the programme is ongoing, community clean-up days will continue to work in tandem, including ongoing mural projects around the town.
The Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey taken in January 2026 identified Ballybane as one of the lowest ranking cities for litter – sitting at 39th out of 40 littered cities.
“The poorly presented sites didn’t get into this state overnight and have been highlighted in previous IBAL surveys,” the report noted. “By far the most heavily littered sites were Ballybane Village and Ballybane Industrial Estate, they have been subject to long-term dumping and neglect.”
Ballybane scored not much higher in the 2025 IBAL survey, coming in at 37 out of 40. The same areas were identified as hotspots for overgrown shrubs, litter, and broken signage.
“The overall impression here is a very poor one,” the survey said.