Minister calls on all Irish people to Love Where They Live and join anti-litter initiative this April

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Fergus O'Dowd, launches An Taisce's 16th Annual National Spring Clean Campaign

1st April 2014: Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Fergus O'Dowd, TD, today launched An Taisce's National Spring Clean campaign, together with Campaign Ambassador and model Sarah McGovern, and the Junior Infants Class of City Quay National School in Dublin. This is the 16th year of the National Spring Clean campaign and the Minister was today urging people from all over the country to show how much they love where they live by organising, or taking part in clean-ups in their local areas.

Organised by An Taisce and funded by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, the National Spring Clean is Ireland's largest and most successful anti-litter initiative. Each year, thousands of volunteers take part in clean-up events throughout the month of April, and last year saw over half a million people collect more than 2,000 tonnes of litter across Ireland. That's the equivalent weight of nearly 4 kilos of litter collected per person who took part!

Minister of State Fergus O'Dowd, TD, said, "I am delighted to be here to launch the 16th National Spring Clean campaign. The campaign demonstrates the goodness of all volunteers who give their time and effort, all to benefit their local areas. National Spring Clean has become a customary element of springtime and I am very grateful to all those involved in the campaign, in particular the hundreds of thousands of people who take part every year."

Patricia Oliver, Chairperson of the National Spring Clean campaign said, "In the 16th year of the National Spring Clean, I am delighted to see the numbers of people taking part and making a commitment to better their communities increase each year. National Spring Clean is not just about collecting litter, it's about friends and neighbours coming together with the same goal. To think that over half a million people across Ireland will be holding events and cleaning up our streets, parks and coastlines this April is inspiring, and shows that we really do love where we live."

It is not too late to take part in the campaign and registrations are still open for volunteers. All those who sign-up will be issued with a FREE clean-up kit by An Taisce which includes important information about organising a local clean-up event, posters, colour-coded refuse sacks for segregation of waste collected, and protective gloves and tabards to keep participants clean. An Taisce also liaises with Local Authorities to ensure that all rubbish is collected and disposed of without charge. Anyone wishing to take part can register via the campaign website, www.nationalspringclean.org

Siân O'Keefe, European Corporate Affairs Director, Wrigley Company said "The Wrigley Company is fully supportive of initiatives that educate and promote more responsible disposal of waste among all sections of society. There is huge advantage and benefit which can be derived from industry and community coming together to work towards the same goals. We are pleased to be part of such a worthwhile initiative which every year promotes a fantastic sense of community spirit."

Bill Collins, Interim CEO, Repak said, "Repak are again delighted to be associated with An Taisce's National Spring Clean. Through our support, colour-coded recyclable bags are supplied to all participants in the campaign, reinforcing the recycling message."

This year, An Taisce is asking the online community to share photos of the places in their area that they love most on the campaign's Instagram feed, nationalspringclean. Images shared with #LoveWhereYouLive will be entered into a competition to win a relaxing break at the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel.

The National Spring Clean campaign is sponsored by the Wrigley Company and supported by Repak who supply colour-coded refuse sacks for recycling the materials collected.

To register for National Spring Clean call 01-4002219 or visit the website at www.nationalspringclean.org