Man fined after hundreds of tonnes of waste found at illegal West Cork dump site

Several hundred tonnes of illegally dumped waste, including wrecked vehicles, electrical goods, batteries, scrap metal, and evidence of burning, were observed when an illegal dumping site in West Cork was inspected by enforcement officers, Skibbereen District Court heard.

Patricia Murphy, solicitor for Cork County Council, told Skibbereen District Court that 53-year-old John Doolan, of Galley Head, Castlefreke, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to four charges relating to the illegal dump located on lands at Keamnabricka, Leap, Co Cork.

The court heard that Doolan was charged with unlawful handling of waste in a manner likely to cause environmental pollution, collecting waste without the required waste collection permit, and operating an unlicensed waste facility, all contrary to the Waste Management Act 1996.

He was also charged with failing to manage extractive waste in a manner that prevents environmental harm, contrary to Article 4 of the Waste Management Regulations 2009.

Ms Murphy said the maximum penalty for each offence was a fine of up to €5,000 and/or up to 12 months in prison.

She said that since the issue was first investigated in 2024, Doolan had been very cooperative and had undertaken remedial and clean-up works at the site, which were now 98% complete to the satisfaction of Cork County Council.

Witness George Salter, an environmental officer with Cork County Council, said the site was first inspected in late 2024 by enforcement officers accompanied by Gardaí.

He said the council had been made aware that a potentially illegal dump and scrapyard were operating on the site.

Further inspections were carried out in January and February 2025, and the issue was discussed with the site’s owner, John Doolan.

Mr Salter said Doolan agreed there was an issue and that the site needed to be cleaned up, and that he had been very cooperative with council officials throughout the process.

Mr Salter said “several hundred tonnes” of illegal waste were present at the site when it was first inspected. He said Doolan had remediated 98% of the waste to date and that he was satisfied Doolan was making all reasonable efforts to rectify the situation.

Colette McCarthy, defending, said the site had been inherited by Doolan from his father, who passed away in 2009, and had operated as an informal scrapyard for many years.

She said that when it was operated by Doolan’s father, the current regulations were not in place.

She said Doolan acted as quickly as he could in the circumstances to rectify the situation and had also paid €1,200 in costs to Cork County Council.

Ms Murphy said the council was “very impressed” with the remediation carried out by Doolan, which she said was unusual in cases involving such large-scale illegal scrapyards.

Judge Joanne Carroll said it was a very serious matter, but she accepted that Doolan had inherited the business, had been very cooperative, and had made every effort to rectify the situation.

Noting that Doolan had no previous convictions, she convicted him on the first two counts and fined him a total of €500, with four months to pay. The remaining two charges were struck out.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.