Illegal dumping on North Galway lands is costing farmers dearly

Farmers in North Galway are counting the cost of illegal dumping of household waste on their lands – it is costing them thousands of euro on a regular basis.

They are now afraid to graze their animals on the lands where illegal dumping has taken place. Fortunately for them most of their are housed at the moment but sheep are still grazing.

Lands on the outskirts of Tuam at Cloonthue and Cloondarone are subjected to continuous illegal dumping of domestic waste and the local farming community are at their wits end.

The County Council in the past have embarked on several clean up operations but now they do not have the resources to do this on a continuous basis.

Individual farmers are now expected to clean up a mess on their lands which they did not create. Otherwise it has the potential to attract vermin and they cannot allow their animals near where the dumping has occurred.

IFA Chairman Pat Murphy said that illegal dumping on farmland was intolerable and asked the public to report any suspicions they have.

“This is a situation in which everyone has to work together in order to stamp it out. In remote areas, the presence of a strange vehicle should send alarm bells ringing.

“If anyone has any suspicions, then they should convey them to the local Gardai who are also anxious that illegal dumping be stopped”, Mr. Murphy added.

The area in question is not heavily trafficked so it is an ideal location to dump domestic waste day or night without being spotted. There have been calls for CCTV cameras to be installed.

Farmers in the area try to clean up as much as they can but invariably they have to hire skips and machinery in order to carry out the operation. It is costing them thousands.

They are now pleading with Galway County Council and the Gardai to try and stop this from happening. They are asking that occasional patrols of the area take place.

It is often used as a rat run for motorists travelling from Galway to Tuam in the evenings but apart from that there is very little traffic in the area.

Cllr. Sean Canney said that he was contacted by farmers in the area and that the illegal dumping was costing them a small fortune.

The independent councillor said that it was scandalous what was happening on the outskirts of Tuam and wanted action taken by the authorities.

“They are coming at all times of the day and night and indiscriminately dumping their household waste over farmers’ walls. It is intolerable what is happening here.

“Maybe CCTV cameras could be a deterrent but there is certainly no easy solution to this problem which is driving these farmers round the bend”, Cllr. Canney added. He also wants the IFA to become involved in the matter.