Mysterious Wexford hole threatens to swallow up entire meeting – ‘It's nothing short of a mantrap'
The hole, located near Clongeen in the Rosslare Municipal District (RMD), was first brought to the attention of Wexford County Council (WCC) six months ago and, in the intervening months, has increased in size and birthed a smaller, less dangerous hole.
Describing the hole's presence as emblematic of the issues WCC has with repairing rural roads, Councillor Jim Codd brought the executive's attention to the hole at the June meeting of the council.
"I was brought out to see it again last night,' said Cllr Codd. 'It is now three feet deep and two feet wide. And to think some doubted such a hole ever existed.'
The latter was a barbed comment in the direction of Cllr Ger Carthy who had previously questioned whether the hole was situated in the middle, or to the side, of the road.
'It wasn't in the road, though, it was to the side of it,' answered Cllr Carthy, 'this is fake news.'
"This is certainly not fake news,' continued Cllr Codd. 'This hole has now become two holes, and this is quite serious for children, wildlife, livestock travelling that road, it's nothing short of a mantrap. Someone could be lost in it. We put cones there previously and now the grass is growing up through them.'
With the chamber threatening to descend into chaos and some members perhaps wishing a hole would appear to swallow them up, director of services Eamonn Hore entered into the spirit of things.
"I'd love to say I've looked into this,' he joked. 'But I might have a look at it later as it's on my way home.'
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
New Ross unveils new age friendly car parking spaces – ‘It makes the town more accessible and welcoming'
Taking place in New Ross, the spaces were officially launched this week by Cllr Bridín Murphy, Cathaoirleach of New Ross Municipal District, in the presence of district members and council officials. These dedicated parking spaces are designed to promote inclusivity and accessibility, ensuring that older residents and those with mobility challenges can easily access the town's amenities and services. The initiative reflects the town's ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive community where everyone can participate fully in town life. Speaking at the unveiling, New Ross District Manager, Alan Fitzhenry, said: 'We are thrilled to introduce these age friendly parking spaces, which help in making New Ross a more accessible and welcoming place for all. Initiatives like this demonstrate our dedication to supporting residents of all ages and abilities, and we are proud to champion inclusivity in our community. "Thanks to Niamh Bolger, the age friendly programme manager with Wexford County Council, for her support on this project and to the area engineer, David Murphy, for completing the works.' Cathaoirleach of New Ross Municipal District Council, Cllr Bridín Murphy said: 'It is with great pleasure that I unveil these new age friendly parking spaces in New Ross town today, as my last official task as Cathaoirleach of New Ross Municipal District. These spaces, strategically located to provide easier access to essential services and amenities, are a small but meaningful step towards enhancing the quality of life for everyone in the district. "I want to thank Niamh Bolger, age friendly officer with Wexford County Council, for funding this initiative, as well as the district engineer, David Murphy, for installing the spaces. I encourage all motorists to respect these courtesy spaces, together we can create a more inclusive New Ross that truly caters to the needs of all residents.' A Wexford County Council spokesperson added: 'The new spaces are part of a broader effort by the district to enhance accessibility in the town, aligning with the national Age-Friendly Ireland Programme. New Ross Municipal District is committed to continuing such initiatives to ensure New Ross remains a vibrant, inclusive place to live, work, and visit.'
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
Cork figures show 136 home septic tanks inspected every year
Ted O'Leary of the Environmental Directorate of Cork County Council told a meeting of the Council's Southern Division that the figure is dictated to the local authority by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is limited to areas where water quality is potentially threatened by residential septic tanks. "The number of septic tank inspections that the Council undertakes is very limited. It's 136. That's what we do a year and that number is dictated to us by the EPA. That's what we're required to do, as part of a national response to an EU court case a number of years ago that found that Ireland was not meeting its statutory obligations in relation to the regulation and monitoring of private residential wastewater treatment systems,' he added. "Arising out of that, a national inspection program was put in place that allocated a specific number of inspections to every local authority. Cork County Council's annual number is presently 136," Mr O'Leary told the meeting. He said these inspections are all targeted at areas where it has been scientifically proven that local water is under pressure from residential septic tanks. This is usually dictated by the geology of an area. 'So you will find that our inspections are targeted at particular areas of the county that are susceptible because of the geology, because of the landscape, because of the particular configuration of catchments in the area. And that's where we're required by the EPA to target our inspections," he added. Mr O'Leary said Cork County Council randomly picks 136 residential homes with septic tanks to inspect annually in the areas of sensitivity in the county that have been defined by the EPA. He explained the most common reason that septic tanks fail an inspection is because they haven't been "desludged" or emptied, a procedure which should be carried out every year or two. Half a million homes in Ireland use septic tanks to process their sewage and wastewater. More than half of home septic tanks inspected last year were not working properly, raising fears that dirty toilet and sink water is escaping untreated into gardens and rivers. Figures released by the EPA found that 56pc of the 1,390 septic tanks inspected in 2024 were badly maintained, leaking, clogged or otherwise substandard. A Department of Housing grant of up to €12,000 is available to householders with faulty septic tanks but the scheme has been criticised as being too restrictive and convoluted. To be eligible to even apply, a home must be in an area where the surface or ground waters have been determined by the EPA to be at risk from residential septic tanks. Establishing eligibility can mean consulting multiple state agencies, documents, interactive maps and officials, critics say. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
'Blanket ban' on pets in tenancy agreements needs to be eliminated as study finds just 7 per cent of landlords allow dogs
As a result, Wexford councillor Michael Sheehan has called on Housing Minister James Browne TD, 'to amend section 12 of the Residential Tenancy Act 2004 to eliminate blanket bans on pets in tenancy agreements thereby reducing the number of pets being surrendered and abandoned.' Submitting this motion at the June meeting of Wexford County Council (WCC), Cllr Sheehan also provided figures from Dogs Trust which illustrated the number of healthy dogs being abandoned due to tenancy agreements with landlords. In 2024 Dogs Trust had more than one call or email a day (431 annually) on average from people needing to give up their dog because their move did not allow dogs. This is a 112 per cent increase from 2019 when the number was just 203, which, according to Dogs Trust, highlights a 'disturbing trend' affecting dogs and their owners. The charity said that, based on a search of all rental properties on in April of this year, only 7 per cent (132 out of 1871) of properties in Ireland allowed pets. 81 per cent of the 24,000 people surveyed by Dogs Trust – through Ireland's Dog Census – believe that dog owners should have the right to have a pet in rental accommodation said the charity. Discussing Cllr Sheehan's motion, Cllr Jim Codd noted that this issue also affected homeless people. 'Homeless people who have dogs are prevented from entering DePaul (homeless shelter) because of their pets. These dogs should be taken care of by the warden while their owners are in emergency accommodation,' he said. Cllr Vicky Barron added that the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) already catered for pets owned by homeless people, before the motion was subsequently passed. As a result WCC will now write to Minister Browne requesting an amendment to the Tenancy Act.
