Sir, With the sailing, boating and tourist season in full swing, the problem of floating litter in Dun Laoghaire Harbour has again become a major eyesore and a danger to harbour users and marine life. A mixture of plastic bags and bottles, polystyrene, pieces of wood and discarded fish boxes are moved around the harbour by prevailing winds and tides, littering the various inlets and becoming marooned on slip ways and steps at low water.
The litter problem is not unique to Dun Laoghaire as many harbours around our coast are similarly affected by floating debris, although a few busy fishing ports such as Killybegs, Dunmore East and Dingle appear to be kept clean and tidy despite considerable commercial activity.
The litter could easily be removed and the harbours made safer and more attractive if the various users and interests, such as yacht clubs and port authorities, combined their efforts to provide regular harbour cleaning rotas. Yours, etc., Monkstown Valley, Co Dublin.