This article is from page 20 of the 2013-11-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
CLARE County Council has been urged to deal with ‘disgraceful’ levels of noise and litter that have developed in the Watery Road area of Ennis.
Yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council heard complaints about the condition of vacant properties in the area.
Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) told the meeting residents are putting up with the sounds of chainsaws going “morning, noon and night” and wild foul and guinea foul running around houses. “They’re screeching like hell day and night,” he said.
He said Clare County Council should consider demolishing some of the empty houses.
“It’s a downright disgrace. I can’t understand why you have people living in houses at either end and four empty houses between them. Why can’t the vacant houses be knocked and the two put together?” he added.
Cllr Brennan said horses are also running loose in the area.
The meeting heard the scheme is the responsibility of Clare County Council. Cllr Brian Meaney (FF) said the council should consider serving a derelict site notice on the vacant properties.
He said the same tenancy rules and laws that apply to other local authority residents should also apply in the Watery Road.
“There should be no fear or favour in this regard,” he added. Cllr Meaney continued, “The situation in the Watery Road cannot continue. It’s an eyesore. It’s a fester.”
Cllr Peter Considine (FF) said the situation with anti-social behaviour is not unique to Ennis. “The Watery Road [problems] have been going on for over 15 years. It has deteriorated. It is a disgrace.”
Cllr Brennan called on Clare County Council to provide a full report on issues in Watery Road.
He said, “If I was breaking the law and I was causing the nuisance, I’d be prosecuted.”
Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) said there have been issues in other estates in Ennis including Bridge View where smoke bombs have been thrown through letterboxes.
Town manager and director of Service Gerard Dollard said a report from Clare County Council on issues at Watery Road would be available at the next meeting of Ennis Town Council.