Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I support Senator McCarthy's request to the Leader for the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, to attend the House to discuss the problem of litter. This would also give an opportunity to raise the issue of the Irish Business Against Litter organisation, which is very much in the media every six months. I draw the House's attention to the disgraceful and irresponsible manner in which this organisation recently chose to sensationalise the results of its selective and highly flawed survey on litter. The survey is not carried out in all towns or in comparable sites in each of the selected towns. However, every six months it is guaranteed headlines to scandalise and slander towns, such as my home town of Sligo, and Swords. In the most recent survey, Swords and Sligo have been deemed the dirtiest and second dirtiest towns, respectively. The survey is funded by State funding yet Irish Business Against Litter sub-contracts it to An Taisce. All Members know that organisation's record for being representative of the majority.