Cathaoirleach of Ballinasloe Municipal District, Cllr Evelyn Parsons, is calling for urgent intervention to address the persistent problem of overflowing clothes banks across East Galway, including Ballinasloe and Mountbellew.
Addressing the plenary council, Cllr Parsons called for more frequent emptying, faster response times, relocation of unsuitable sites where appropriate and the installation of CCTV at repeat problem locations.
She said the issue is being driven by changing consumer behaviour and is placing unsustainable pressure on local infrastructure.
“People are buying and disposing of more clothing than ever before, and our recycling systems are simply not keeping pace with that reality.”
Cllr Parsons said the situation has become a recurring problem in a number of locations.
“In Ballinasloe, Mountbellew and other areas across East Galway we are seeing the same pattern time and again — clothes banks left full for extended periods, bags dumped alongside them, and sites quickly deteriorating. Colleagues are finding the same problems around the county”
She said this undermines both community efforts and the wider presentation of towns.
“Residents are trying to do the right thing, but when they arrive and find banks overflowing, bags are left beside them and what starts as recycling quickly becomes litter and dumping. It creates an eyesore and sends the wrong message.”
While Ballinasloe has performed strongly in the latest IBAL Anti-Litter League — ranked joint 5th and deemed ‘cleaner than European norms’ — Cllr Parsons said recurring issues at bring banks show that gaps remain.
“We can be proud of our IBAL result, but we also have to be honest. Problem sites like clothes banks continue to come up again and again. These are preventable issues, and they need a much more proactive response.”
She said the burden is unfairly falling on local communities.
“It is incredibly frustrating for Tidy Towns groups and volunteers who work hard to keep their areas clean, only to see the same locations repeatedly let down by poor maintenance and lack of timely collection.”
Cllr Parsons is calling for a structured, county-wide response.
“At a minimum, we need more frequent collections, rapid response when sites are full, clear accountability for maintenance, and CCTV at locations where dumping persists. The current system is too reactive and it is not working.”
She added that the issue is part of a wider environmental challenge.
“Fast fashion may be cheap to buy, but local communities are paying the price. If we are serious about sustainability, then the infrastructure to support recycling must be properly resourced and managed.”
