Council asked to outlaw Chinese lanterns released into air

Councillor Sorcha O’Neill has called on Kildare Co Council to ban the releasing of 'lit lanterns, Chinese or otherwise into the air' in the Naas Municipal District.

The politician will raise the issue at the next meeting of the Municipal District.

Environmentalists have always claimed that Chinese lanterns, which contain a lighted candle, pose a fire hazard to woodland or thatched roofs and can also cause ugly litter in the countryside.

Birdwatch Ireland and other wildlife agencies have previously called for the lanterns to be 100 per cent biodegradable so that unsuspecting wildlife doesn't ingest harmful components such as paper, string, wire or bamboo.

M50 businesses 

Meanwhile Cllr O'Neill has also called on the Council to attract businesses from the Dublin area to Naas town.

She asked the Council to identify employment lands within the Naas Local Area Plan (LAP) to "proactively offer a competitive and compelling case to invite these businesses to relocate from inside the M50 to Kildare rather than going to neighbouring counties Wicklow and Meath."