A new survey has revealed that disadvantaged city areas are seeing increasing levels of litter.

This is the finding of the latest study by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL).

Fermoy in Cork was the cleanest of the 40 towns and cities surveyed - but pockets of Galway, Dublin and Cork city were more heavily littered than in previous surveys.

IBAL sees more mixed housing as the long-term solution to the urban litter problem.

An Taisce assessed litter levels over the summer months on behalf of IBAL.

It reported that 77% of towns and cities were found to be clean, and none was deemed a litter blackspot.

But five areas were 'littered' or 'seriously littered' and scored worse than last year.

Conor Horgan of IBAL said: "We have seen a worsening of litter levels in economically disadvantaged areas, which dominate the lower placings of our rankings.

"What is often lacking in these areas is a sense of 'pride in place', which in turn reflects an absence of real community.

"In the frenzy to address our housing shortage, we must be mindful of the need to build communities along with houses.

"Mixed housing is the long-term solution to our urban litter problem."

Source: IBAL

"Huge swathes of all manner of litter"

While Dublin city centre was clean, registering one of its best ever results, the north inner-city and Ballymun were more heavily littered than previously.

Cork city's northside and Mahon also showed higher levels of litter, as did Ballybane in Galway city, which was bottom of the rankings.

The An Taisce report for Ballybane cited "pathways riddled with heavy levels of food related litter", "huge swathes of all manner of litter, as well as discarded bags of rubbish" and dumping near St Brigids Church.

There were several blackspots in Ballymun, which suffered from widespread dumping according to the report.

By contrast, An Taisce complimented Fermoy: "It is rare to visit a town with an almost complete absence of litter, not just in the town centre but in residential and other outlying areas surveyed".

The report for Dublin city centre noted 'a virtual absence of litter' along many high footfall streets - and that the shopping streets in the capital this summer "presented very well, not just with regard to litter but paving, planting and street furniture."

Navan showed the greatest improvement of any town, rising 20 places in the rankings.