‘Dock leaves as tall as a man' at abandoned Eir premises in Wexford village as councillor calls for compulsory purchase order

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

While the surrounding dock leaves may not quite be as “tall as men”, the condition of a derelict building in south Wexford has led a local councillor to suggest it should be subject to a compulsory purchase order (CPO). At the July meeting of the Rosslare Municipal District (RMD). Councillor Jim Codd bemoaned the state of The Exchange in Wellingtonbridge, a premises which was most recently operated by Eir.

“I think Eir has responsibility for it and it has no regard for the people of the area, for the residents of Corach Avenue or the local Tidy Towns group, who have the place like a new pin,” he said. “Wellingtonbridge is the tidiest, most well-presented area you could ask for, and in this premises there are dock leaves as tall as a man. I’m convinced I’ll go by there some day and there’ll be a deer looking out at me.”

Asking that the RMD write to Eir to query its plans for the building, Cllr Codd said if no resolution was reached the council should issue a CPO to the telecommunications company.

“I want it to go loud and clear out of here that if you own land in our district you maintain it,” he continued. “It shouldn’t fall upon the Tidy Towns group to clean around it while it grows wild.”