Illegal Dumping Continues At The Curragh

Monday, 23 September 2024 10:58

By Hannah Kelly

Images sent to Kfm showcase sheep lying amongst rubbish

Dumping at the Curragh has continued in the past week, with images showcasing sheep lying amidst the copious amounts of rubbish and waste.

In images sent to Kfm, sheep from the Curragh can be seen surrounded by the rubbish that has been dumped in the area.

Images of the Curragh sent to Kfm

"These are our sheep among the human excrement and rubbish.

"[I] have, over the last few months, contacted every department possible. Hundreds of thousands being spent every week to clean up [...], whose money is paying for this?".

Speaking on this morning's Kildare Today was Fine Gael Councillor Peggy O'Dwyer, who was looking for Kildare County Council to provide an update on the status of The Curragh Plains Management Plan.

In 2022, Kildare County Council and the Department of Defence created a future plan for the Curragh, involving how it was going to be managed on two arms - the conservation and the interpretation.

In response to Cllr O'Dwyer, the council said the report was being finalised and it will take two to three weeks to go to the Minister of Defence.

The Curragh has also faced issues of illegal encampment over the years, which has been an issue raised by Councillors and TDs, and most notably, residents of the Curragh.

A bill was introduced by Senator Fiona O' Loughlin in the Seanad in 2022 to stop damaging encampments and illegal dumping on the Curragh, which made it illegal to reside on the plains for more than 24 hours without a licence from the Minister of Defence.

In a recent Facebook post, Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl stated he has been in correspondence with the Tánaiste Micheál Martin concerning the Curragh being used for illegal encampment.