Wicklow County Council has issued a warning about rogue bin collectors after a seaside beauty spot was seriously polluted by illegal dumping.
More than 50 bags of domestic waste, along with fridges, cookers and a burnt-out car, have been dumped at Magheramore beach, one of the best surfing beaches on the east coast.
The site, a few miles south of Wicklow town, and near Brittas Bay, is strewn with nappies, broken toys, empty bottles and plastic containers, some of which have also been blown on to a steep slope and the beach.
A rusting, burnt-out car has also been dumped on the slope along with other waste, less than 20 yards from the beach.
Yesterday Wicklow County Council confirmed it was investigating the illegal dumping, and had used household bills to identify the source of the waste. Council litter wardens suspect that a rogue unlicensed collector had taken the rubbish from Wicklow town.
"It's disgusting," a council spokeswoman said. "We have ascertained the identity of the individuals responsible for the waste, and we are also investigating the possible involvement of rogue collectors. We are confident we'll be taking prosecutions against those involved. We will also be looking for the full costs of the clean-up, which will be at least a few thousand euro."
The enforcement of anti-pollution laws at the site has been fraught with difficulties, and it has previously fallen victim to illegal dumping.
The site around the beach, including a car-park where most of the illegal dumping has taken place, is privately owned, with the owner legally responsible to prevent dumping.
Because of the public right-of-way down a lane through the car-park, however, it has been almost impossible for the landowner to prevent illegal dumping, according to the council.
"We have worked very closely with the landowner in the past, and he has acted very responsibly," the spokeswoman said.
The remote nature of the site, down a near-impassable laneway, has made policing the site against fly-tippers even more difficult.
Yesterday members of the Irish surfing community, who use the beach throughout the year, said they had raised the continuing problem of fly-tipping on the site with the council.
Ms Charlotte O'Kelly of the East Coast Surfing Club said the waste had been there since before Christmas. She called on the council to take more proactive measures to stop the fly-tipping.
Rogue collectors have become a major environmental problem around the country, with householders taking risks to use them because of higher waste charges.
Councils have advised that homeowners should only use their regular weekly bin service, and check skips and other services with councils beforehand.