Fly tipping on Roscommon-Galway border condemned
As well as scores of refuse bags, dumpers left a mattress and nappies.
Recent and ongoing fly tipping on the Roscommon-Galway border has been condemned. As well as scores of refuse bags, dumpers left a mattress and nappies.
Local man Billy Gallagher of the Animal Haven Ireland charity said the dumping was unacceptable, especially in the picturesque and beautiful area. The dumping was discovered about a mile and a half from Dysart along the Dysart-Ahascragh road.
“Bord Na Móna and the local communities are trying to develop the whole area, establishing nature walks and cycle paths,” he said. “There is continual dumping there but this is the worst I have seen. It’s the local community and councils that have to foot the bill.” As well as being a blight on the landscape, the dumping could also impact on water quality and the ecosystem.
“There’s nappies down there too,” he said. “It is a mile from the River Suck. It is on the Galway side but they also dump on the Roscommon side.” He added that animals were also being abandoned in the area. “Before Christmas seven pups were dumped in three different locations,” he said. “We saved five of them and our neighbours took two.” Like other animal welfare charities, Animal Haven Ireland has noticed a significant increase in the number of animals being surrendered to it.
“We rehomed 470 dogs and 144 cats last year,” said Mr Gallagher. “Every day I get a message on our Facebook page wanting to take in another dog. We have a kennels in Kerry. Any dogs I rescue in this area, they go there. We have paid staff down there and a lot of volunteers. It can hold up to 120 dogs at one time. We had 120 dogs in October, we got down to about 30 at Christmas, but we are probably back up to 60 now again.” He said that in the past the area was subject to significant poaching and the carcasses would have been dumped and left for others to deal with.
“But that has died out completely in this area due to all the publicity,” he said.
He warned that the perpetrators of illegal dumping can be found relatively easily by sifting through the rubbish and can face prosecution.
“On one occasion, I found a public services card,” he said. “The dumpers also left six puppies there as well.” The perpetrators use the network of local roads to fly tip before leaving the scene.
“They never get caught in the act,” Mr Gallagher said. “The only way to deal with it is CCTV. I am aware of an area that was always targeted by dumpers, but they have put up CCTV and I have never seen a bag there since.” Animal Haven Ireland can be contacted on its Facebook page or on the Animal Haven Athlone Facebook page.
