Leixlip Near The Top Of IBAL Rankings As Littered Derelict Site Drags Naas Down

Monday, 5 January 2026 08:41

By Martin Osborne

The 2025 survey by Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL), carried out by An Taisce, places Leixlip second overall out of 40 towns and cities.

Leixlip has narrowly missed out on the top spot in the latest Irish Business Against Litter rankings - while Naas has slipped back after recent strong performances.

The 2025 survey by Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL), carried out by An Taisce, places Leixlip second overall out of 40 towns and cities.

It’s rated cleaner than European norms and praised for consistent presentation across the town.

Inspectors highlighted visible Tidy Towns work, spotless stretches of Main Street, and the Royal Canal Greenway from Louisa Bridge as standout areas.

The town centre car park also earned strong marks for planting and visitor information.

Former winner Naas has dropped to 13th place.

The report points to a heavily littered derelict site at Corban’s Lane and Fairgreen Street as the key factor dragging down its overall score.

However, North Main Street, Morell Dale and the Harbour area all retained top litter grades.

Some moderately littered locations were linked to overflowing bins and refuse disturbed by wildlife, including at Lock Bui.

Nationally, Sligo has topped the rankings for the first time, while Waterford reclaimed its position as Ireland’s cleanest city.

The number of towns deemed “clean” rose to 28.

IBAL says the Deposit Return Scheme continues to show results - with cans and plastic bottles down by 10 per cent on last year and now 60 per cent lower than before the scheme launched.

But it’s warning of a “worrying signal” from the apparent collapse of voluntary coffee cup schemes, with disposable cups still found at one in five sites surveyed.

Disposable vape litter remained unchanged, ahead of a planned national ban due to come into force over the course of 2026.