
Elderly residents in Wexford waiting over a year for ‘collapsed' doors to be replaced
At the June meeting of the New Ross Municipal District (NRMD) Councillor Pat Barden said he had spoken to a number of applicants who might not 'even be around' by the time their works were done.
'What is the wait time now from the point of application until the works are carried out?' he asked housing officer Martina Donohue.
'I don't have a definite time scale but priority tends to be given to those with mobility issues, to try and keep them living in their own home,' replied Ms Donohue. 'So with windows and doors other applications are given priority ahead of them.'
'It used to be 2-3 months but now it's gone to 12-14 months,' continued Cllr Barden. 'It's a long time to wait, people might not even be around after that time.'
'I wouldn't think it takes that long,' said Ms Donohue, 'but I'll have a word with our grants team and see if I can get an estimate of how long windows and doors are taking.'
Cllr John Dwyer had also been in touch with residents awaiting repairs to their windows and doors and said some 'flexibility' was required when dealing with these cases.
'I'm aware of one instance in an estate where a front door has collapsed, I'm not being dramatic, these are actual cases,' he said. 'I'm getting an answer back from our housing staff that we have scheduled a replacement but we have no funding for it and don't know how long it will take. There are emergency cases we have to deal with, I would like to see action taken on these, some flexibility applied.'
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
8 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Duleek Linear Park in Meath set for green makeover as council seeks public feedback
Coimisiún na Meán Today at 06:00 Meath County Council has announced redevelopment plans for Duleek Linear Park, aiming to transform the much-loved green space into a more accessible, and environmentally rich public amenity. Under the Part 8 planning process, the council has proposed a series of upgrades that include both hard and soft landscaping works, as well as the removal of several outdated structures currently in place. Local residents, community groups, and stakeholders are now being encouraged to have their say as part of the public consultation. The project is focused on enhancing the park's usability and visual appeal while preserving its natural setting. The plans include site preparation and clearance, which would involve the removal of old footpaths, timber fencing, a wooden stage, picnic benches, a short stone path, and a 'kissing gate.' Hard landscaping features, such as new buff tarmacadam walkways, two shaded seating structures, a feature stone entrance wall, age-friendly seating, and 235 metres of railings is said to be part of the plan. A new children's play piece will also be installed. Meanwhile soft landscaping enhancements, featuring new grass meadows, native hedges and shrubbery (including holly, hazel, wild rose, and ivy), and colourful wildflower beds. According to Meath County Council, the project has already undergone screening in line with environmental and habitats directives, and no Environmental Impact Assessment is required. However, members of the public have the right to request a screening determination from An Bord Pleanála within four weeks of the notice date. They can also submit their feedback online or in writing to Meath County Council. The consultation is open until Wednesday, July 16, 2025. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.


Irish Independent
12 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Elderly residents in Wexford waiting over a year for ‘collapsed' doors to be replaced
At the June meeting of the New Ross Municipal District (NRMD) Councillor Pat Barden said he had spoken to a number of applicants who might not 'even be around' by the time their works were done. 'What is the wait time now from the point of application until the works are carried out?' he asked housing officer Martina Donohue. 'I don't have a definite time scale but priority tends to be given to those with mobility issues, to try and keep them living in their own home,' replied Ms Donohue. 'So with windows and doors other applications are given priority ahead of them.' 'It used to be 2-3 months but now it's gone to 12-14 months,' continued Cllr Barden. 'It's a long time to wait, people might not even be around after that time.' 'I wouldn't think it takes that long,' said Ms Donohue, 'but I'll have a word with our grants team and see if I can get an estimate of how long windows and doors are taking.' Cllr John Dwyer had also been in touch with residents awaiting repairs to their windows and doors and said some 'flexibility' was required when dealing with these cases. 'I'm aware of one instance in an estate where a front door has collapsed, I'm not being dramatic, these are actual cases,' he said. 'I'm getting an answer back from our housing staff that we have scheduled a replacement but we have no funding for it and don't know how long it will take. There are emergency cases we have to deal with, I would like to see action taken on these, some flexibility applied.' Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.


Irish Independent
5 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.