Locals concerned about 'continuous dumping' near the River Suck

A local man has highlighted a serious issue with “continuous dumping” along the Roscommon Galway border near the River Suck.

Billy Gallagher said the dumping has been taking place for at least 15 years but that it has been “particularly bad” in recent weeks.

Billy, who lives in Dysart village a few miles from where the dumping has occurred, explained that the culprits are dumping a large amount of black plastic bags containing all sorts of household items such as mattresses and nappies. “It was just particularly bad this time. I suppose it was after Christmas and they had more to dump than usual.”

Billy added that crows and various animals tear the bags open and then the rubbish goes everywhere.

He is the chairperson of Animal Haven Ireland based in Athlone and he also highlighted that seven puppies were dumped alive close to the River Suck in recent months. They managed to rescue the puppies, two of which are being cared for by locals and the animal charity will seek homes for the remaining puppies in the coming months.

Billy said that it took much llonger to rescue two of the puppies because the area had flooded. They were found in a disused badger sett, the big holes that badgers use to create a den.

“We couldn't get in there as quick as we wanted to because of the flood... so it took us about four days before we could get at them and we saved them.” The local man said that people are constantly contacting the charity when they find animals left there whether dead or alive.

Billy has contacted Galway County Council and Roscommon County Council in relation to the dumping but he feels that the location of the incidents, on the border between two counties, means it is more difficult to have it tackled.

“There's two separate councils, there's two separate Garda stations. They cover each area,” stated Billy. “ He said that the council comes out and clears the rubbish.

He added that the dumping has been “going on continuously” for the last four or five years. “On the Roscommon side of the bridge they're dumping builders waste.” The Dysart resident said that stones, trees, ditches and anything that could be cleared from a builders' site is being dumped. “It looks very unsightly.”

Billy remarked that it's a protected area but that it doesn't seem that anyone can do anything about the problem of dumping. “I've never seen anyone doing it (dumping) but it must be done at night because when I drive up the next morning, you see another new pile of it there.”

He added that the local community was “blighted” with this dumping”and that people could go down and clear the area but that a week later, more bags and bottles would be dumped. “I don't know how they can keep it cleaner because it's constant.”

“We're not the only area that this dumping is going on, it's getting very common,” concluded Billy Gallagher from Dysart.