Urgent Action Needed On Plastic Pollution On Dublin's Grand Canal

Labour has called for action on plastic pollution on the Grand Canal where small beads of polystyrene have been floating in the water from Sally's Bridge at Clogher Road down to Portobello Dock for nearly two weeks.

Councillor for Kimmage Rathmines in Dublin City Council raised concerns over the lack of accountability and action from Waterways Ireland in response to the plastic pollution.

Cllr Freehill said: "Since 6th July small beads of polystyrene have been floating along the canal, the source of this is a burst sleeping bag at Sally's Bridge. Despite every effort by Canal Volunteers to clean as much of this up as possible these beads are still floating down as far as Portobello Bridge. This is a major threat to the health of wild life on the canal."

Cllr Freehill said that the biodiversity and wildlife of Dublin City is at risk.

She continued: "This microplastic waste is a threat to wildlife, and the lack of a priority response is unacceptable. Meanwhile our birds and swans are at risk of ingesting these beads.

"This is just another example of how when services are centralised and dispersed that local government is powerless to run the city. Our Government cannot continue to hide behind unaccountable quangos and bring Ireland in line with the rest of Europe and give local government the powers to provide services to the citizens."