New Ross allotments to be given over to those on waiting list as councillor suggests a ‘use it or lose it’ policy

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

The owners of plots in the New Ross allotments are being advised to use them or lose them by a local councillor. With suspicions that some of those who hold the plots are not utilising them, Councillor John Dwyer said those on the waiting list should be given the opportunity to take them over.

“Some of the allotments are not being used by the allotment holders,” he said at the September meeting of the New Ross Municipal District (NRMD). “If that is the case we have to adopt a ‘use it or lose it’ policy.

“There are people waiting a year or longer for an allotment space to become available. In general, people are becoming more conscious of growing healthy vegetables rather than importing them from god knows where.”

Vowing to engage with the organising committee to determine the number of spaces available at the allotments, district manager Alan Fitzhenry said a process was in operation wherein, if people aren’t using the plots “they get warning letters”.

“There has been plots taken from people in the past,” he added.

For Cathaoirleach John Fleming this was proof that the allotments in New Ross are a success.

“The ones in Enniscorthy are booming, we tried it in Clonroche and couldn’t get it off the ground,” he said. “But it’s great to have people on the waiting list, it shows how popular it is here.”