65 hit with fines as Kilkenny Council deploys drones to combat litter louts
KILKENNY County Council issued 65 fines to local litterbugs in January, new figures reveal.
The council today confirmed a total of 65 fixed penalty fines were issued by Environment Enforcement Officers in the first month of the year.
These fines were issued for offences such as littering around bottle banks, discarding cigarette butts from car windows, erecting unauthorised advertising signage and throwing litter on public footpaths.
Those who litter face fixed penalty fines of €150 that must be paid within 21 days. If they fail to pay the fine the case then proceeds to the courts, where costs average up to €1,400 for offenders.
The latest figures come as the Environment Section of Kilkenny County Council warned the local authority has introduced new technology to combat litter louts.
Senior engineer Frank Stafford said: “To date, CCTV footage has greatly helped the Environment Section to fine and prosecute those who have a complete disregard for our communities. The Environment Section has also invested in trail cameras and drone technology to increase detection rates of indiscriminate offenders.”
*To view Kilkenny County Council’s guide to managing you waste, log on to www.mywaste.ie
