Dumping tackled at Smiths Field

Mountmelllick’s town councillors attempted to get to grips with the growing problem of dumping down in Smiths Field last Wednesday evening, April 18.

Among the forty bags of rubbish collected were pieces of beds and sofas, but the rubbish lying in deep ditches had to be left for another day, as it was deemed too dangerous to clean it up by hand.

“We are trying to raise money to get in a machine to clear it. It wasn’t a major clean-up, there was a very small turnout, but we hope to get back there again,” said Cllr Bobby Delaney, who is also a member of the Smiths Field committee.

Seven out of the nine TCs donned their gloves and were joined in their efforts by Paul Lawlor from the Angling Club, and Sister Maureen O’Connell and Seamus O’Brien from Kirwan Park Residents Committee, while several other Kirwan Park residents had cleaned up outside their houses earlier on in the evening.

Cllr Rosemary Whelan said the wet evening may have discouraged more people from helping.

“We did get a lot done, but hopefully next time there will be a better turnout,” she said.

Laois County Council’s Ian McCormack also volunteered his help with the evening’s work, which was run during the annual Clean Up Laois Week, from Monday 16 to Friday 20 April.