Calls for action over illegal dumping and anti-social behaviour in Tipperary graveyards
Illegal dumping and anti-social behaviour near two graveyards in Tipperary have sparked calls for urgent action, according to a local councillor.
Independent councillor Eddie Moran raised the issue of people camping and engaging in illegal dumping near the two graveyards in Templemore at the December meeting of Tipperary County Council.
Councillor Moran said the anti-social behaviour is putting people off visiting their loved ones at the graveyards in the town.
"We have issues in Templemore at our graveyards, there’s two graveyards beside each other in Templemore, and we have a lot of activity there, people going up to the graveyards and they can’t visit the graveyards because there’s a lot of caravans there and anti-social behaviour going on there.
"They have no bins whatsoever, and all their rubbish is being thrown over the graveyard walls, and they have no toilets or anything,” Cllr Moran said.
"This isn’t the first time I’ve brought this to the attention of the council, and it’s still happening,” he hit out.
Cllr Moran questioned what the point of carrying out household waste inspections on homes was, when this was happening on the streets.
Under the powers of the council, officials carry out inspections of council properties across Tipperary to ensure that people have a waste collection service or that they bring their rubbish to the civic amenity sites, rather than engaging in illegal dumping.
"What’s the point of inspecting houses when we have this carry on going on in the streets?
"There’s dogs there as well, the dogs have been taken away three times but they’re back again, people can’t go up and visit their loved ones there, so there has to be something done with this, it’s going on a long, long time now,” Cllr Moran added.
In response, the council’s director of services for the environment Eamon Lonergan said that the council is happy to work on any areas identified as having particular issues.
"If there’s any particular locations or areas, we’re happy to focus in on those with you, and have the enforcement teams and the inspections carried out there,” Mr Lonergan said.
The council had done over 400 waste inspections this year, he added, saying that there is a good compliance rate countywide.
"We did over 400 inspections this year, and there’s around an 85pc compliance rate, which is pretty good, and the ones that are non compliant get fixed penalty notices,” Mr Lonergan concluded.