Sligo Claims Title of Ireland’s Cleanest Town, Naas Falls to 13th

BREAKING: Sligo has just been named Ireland’s cleanest town, dethroning Naas in the latest anti-litter rankings released by the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL). This significant shift marks the first time Sligo has claimed the top spot, while Naas has plummeted to an unexpected 13th place.

The rankings, which evaluate 40 towns and cities, reveal Sligo’s impressive transformation from a litter blackspot in 2007 to the cleanest town in 2025. Following Sligo, the top five cleanest towns include Leixlip, Westport, Monaghan, and Tullamore.

IBAL spokesperson Conor Horgan highlighted this remarkable turnaround, stating, “Sligo has come a long way since 2007.” This year’s survey indicates that nearly 75% of the evaluated towns met or exceeded European cleanliness standards. However, concerns remain as nine towns were still classified as moderately littered, including Drogheda, Navan, and Dublin city centre.

In a further breakdown, four areas were deemed littered: Cork northside, Ballymun, Galway inner city (Ballybane), and Dublin north inner city. Horgan noted a promising trend, saying, “Even areas at the foot of our rankings have significantly lower litter levels than a year ago.”

This year, the survey revealed a significant reduction in litter levels overall, with a 10% drop in the prevalence of cans and plastic bottles compared to last year. Notably, this marks a 60% decrease since the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme. For the first time, no bottle bank was classified as a litter blackspot.

However, coffee cups remain a persistent issue, with these items found in one in five surveyed locations. Horgan called for government action, urging support for reusable cup initiatives. “Without government intervention, coffee cups will remain an unsightly and entirely unnecessary blot on the landscape across our towns,” he stated. He criticized the government’s delay in implementing a promised levy on single-use coffee cups, emphasizing the need for urgent action.

As Sligo celebrates its new title, the focus shifts to how other towns can continue to improve their cleanliness. The ongoing support for clean town initiatives and government backing for sustainable practices will be crucial in maintaining this momentum.

Stay tuned for more updates as communities respond to these findings and push for cleaner environments across Ireland.