'It's not fair on businesses and residents': Anger over northside dumping

TWO Cork city councillors have said they are “frustrated” and “blue in the face” reporting continuous illegal dumping at a blackspot on the northside.

Labour Party councillor John Maher has said that despite years of motions and complaints, not enough is being done about the dumping at the entrance to Ellis’s Yard at Spring Lane in Ballyvolane.

“This is an ongoing thing, it isn’t a once off situation,” he said.

“Despite the best efforts on the ground by our cleansing department, [city council] management need to take this seriously. It is getting worse.”

He said local residents are being negatively impacted by the continuing issue.

“It’s not fair on the residents in Ballyvolane — both residents living in the site, the settled community in the area, and also those who use the facilities around the site.

“There is a business park just up from the site, where a number of businesses are operating from,” Mr Maher said. “It’s not fair on those businesses and residents that this is allowed to continue.”

Mr Maher has said the illegal dumping in the Spring Lane and Ellis’s Yard area has reached a commercial level, with anything from general rubbish to washing machines and toys, as well as horse manure or hay being discarded near the site on a daily basis.

He said that, despite continuous efforts by locals and his fellow councillors, nothing has changed.

“I do get frustrated because this is where I live and at this stage, I am wondering what [city council] management are doing to address it?

“Despite the motions, despite the calls, despite residents sending in pictures, nothing has changed. Day in and day out, our cleansing workers have to go up and clean that mess. The workers on the ground are doing an incredible job.

“I have asked can we put footpaths and public lighting on the Ballyvolane Road. If we can’t use cameras because of the law, let’s use money in other ways to improve the public realm.

“More people would be walking and running or using the commercial park, and that may stop it. If it doesn’t, at least we tried and we bettered the area, but at the moment we are doing the same thing over and over again.”

Independent councillor Ken O’Flynn said that there is outrage over the issue.

“I am absolutely blue in the face reporting illegal dumping going on at various sites around the city, but never so much as there is in the Ballyvolane area.

“Yet again I express my utter disappointment at the continuous acts of illegal dumping happening in several locations throughout the city. The problem seems to be particularly severe in the Ballyvolane area, where the rubbish and waste continue to pile up day by day.”

Both councillors called for action to be taken by management in Cork City Council to install CCTV to catch culprits, but acknowledged that issues surrounding law and privacy matters have delayed its installation.

“It is disheartening to see the lack of action being taken despite numerous reports of illegal dumping over time,” Mr O’Flynn explained. “I have been actively advocating for the installation of CCTV cameras in these areas as a deterrent, and I have received overwhelming support from the local residents.”

Cork City Council have been contacted for comment.