"Wouldn't it be great if it could be like this all the time" - the line from the song might have been on the minds of the State's first community wardens as they took to the streets of Carrick-on- Shannon yesterday. Theresa Judge reports on the new wardens' first day
The sun was shining in the Co Leitrim town and there was a general welcome for the new grey-uniformed wardens.
We were suddenly transformed from a nation of litter-throwing, double-parking, get-away-with-it- if-you-can types into model citizens.
Michael Reynolds was spending his first day on patrol, introducing himself and explaining his job to the public.
He was met with smiles and handshakes. From the safety of a manhole, an Eircom worker even admired his uniform.
Everybody agreed that parking in the town was a disgrace. "Oh it's very badly needed, sure they'd park anywhere in this town," was the general response when Michael explained his range of duties.
One woman wondered if there was anything he could do about beer bottles being left on window-sills in the early hours of the morning.
Leitrim is one of five local authorities to take part in the three-year pilot project which may be extended nationwide.
Five wardens went to work in Leitrim yesterday and they will be patrolling the county in brightly painted orange vans. Both traffic and litter wardens, they will also have a wider brief to watch for breaches of a whole range of by-laws.
They can take complaints on such issues as planning and pollution to the relevant section of the local authorities, and will also be giving advice to the public on council services.
Leitrim County Council's director of community and enterprise, Mr Bartley Gavin, said they would act as "a mobile information unit", distributing pamphlets on such issues as housing grants or planning applications when needed.
Enforcement will be part of the job. "People talk about a negative reaction but in fact the public are very positive about enforcement. People who live in the town want to be able to park and traders want us to keep the traffic moving," Mr Gavin said.
It is also emphasised that any issues taken up by the community wardens will be carried through to conclusion.
A steering committee is being established with the county council to ensure issues are dealt with.
On the streets, there was no sign of a fine book in Michael Reynolds' hands, but the bulk of queries related to parking.
He told local woman Kathleen McGarry, who wanted to know if he would be "very tough", that for the moment it's a honeymoon period.
Michael, who also works as a fireman, accepts the acid test will come "when and if we start issuing fines in a couple of weeks". This is likely to prove something of a shock for the people of Leitrim.
Up until now there have been no traffic wardens and only one litter warden in the county. The community wardens can issue on-the-spot fines, and people should be reminded that the fine for throwing litter, even a piece of paper, is now €125.
By lunchtime, the honeymoon was already coming to an end. A call had just come through about an illegal dump in the countryside some miles from the town.