'Outlived their time': Donegal councillor calls for new beach bins

A Donegal County Councillor has called for a complete overhaul of beach litter bins across the county. Bundoran-based Sinn Féin Councillor Michael McMahon described the current bins as a “waste of time”. Councillor McMahon told the July meeting of the Donegal MD that the bins in their present format allow birds to scatter rubbish all over beaches. “We need to look at the bins situation,” Councillor McMahon said. “The bins we have now have outlived their time. They are a waste of time. When the crows, pigeons and them all get at them, they clean them out. “We have been at this since I was on Bundoran Town Council - and it hasn’t changed a bit. It is a waste of time, money and energy.” Councillor McMahon suggested that the Council could “work with what we have” for the remainder of 2026, but suggested that a new design for bins be put forward for 2027. The current bins, he added, “don’t make a lot of sense”. Mr Mark Sweeney, the Area Manager for Roads and Transportation, said that new bins would have to be put out to tender. Mr Sweeney said there “is a solution to it” and said he hoped to have “more on that” at a later meeting.