New CCTV cameras are to be installed at locations in Ballybane in a bid to stop illegal dumping — after the latest IBAL ‘litter league’ report identified the area as one of the worst in the country for littering.

While the rest of Galway City moved up one place to ninth overall, classified as Cleaner than European norms, Ballybane was labelled Littered and ranked 39th worst of 40 towns and cities surveyed.

The eastern suburb has been consistently placed at the bottom end of the table since it started to be surveyed as a separate area in the Irish Businesses Against Litter (IBAL) twice-yearly inspections, carried out by An Taisce.

The latest report pinpoints a number of areas which have repeatedly been identified as litter blackspots in previous surveys.

“By far the most heavily littered sites were Ballybane Village and Ballybane Industrial Estate — they have been subject to long-term dumping and neglect,” it said, also naming the areas around St Brigid’s Church and Ballybane Library as being heavily littered.

Galway City Council stressed that Ballybane remained a priority area as the council continued to work with local residents to provide litter solutions to the area.

It said it was confident that CCTV cameras would be put into operation in Ballybane in 2026, to deter and prevent illegal dumping of waste.

Outlining its efforts to date, it said that Waste Enforcement Officer David Walsh and Community Warden Eddie Ryan had been heavily involved in the implementation of the Galway City Waste Bye Laws in Ballybane in 2025, in particular the three bin system, by engaging directly with residents.

The Council’s Environment team had carried out several community clean-ups involving local families and residents — more than 100 bags of waste were collected in a single clean up.

The electrical box at the entrance to the Fána Glas, once an eyesore and a focal point for illegal dumping, has been cleared of all waste and has been painted by a local artist with the help of local children.

Drone surveys have been conducted in the area and the large amount of waste in areas adjacent to Fána Glas has been identified and removed.

“In addition to this, Galway City Council has carried out several multi-agency vehicle check points in Galway City and County to identify and restrict the movement of illegal waste into Ballybane, and will endeavour to carry out further checkpoints in the East Local Electoral Area.

“Major steps have taken in implementing a CCTV policy for the area — Galway City Council is confident of the presence of CCTV in Ballybane in 2026, to deter and prevent illegal dumping of waste.” the Council statement added.

Meanwhile, local community activist Donal Lynch has called on the Council to start the process of placing the ground in and around the Neighbourhood Village, where dumping has been a problem, on the Derelict Sites Register.

“The City Council, along with local residents, have worked extremely hard down through the years to keep this area litter free with great difficulty but the illegal dumping unfortunately continues,” he said.

Mr Lynch said that nobody appeared to know who the registered owner of the land was, and the council did not have the necessary permission and authority to enter these grounds and clear the area of overgrowth and remove all the illegal dumping.

“I think it is now at the point where it should be registered under the derelict site notice and get it cleared and put a stop to the dumping and let the council take control of the roadside grounds where the dumping is taking place,” he added.

Pictured: Blackspot: litter on the footpath at the Ballybane Neighbourhood Centre.