Family appeal to council to remove ‘rubbish mountain’

A FAMILY appealed directly to Cork’s city manager yesterday to remove a “mountain of rubbish” from the grounds of a vacant council house next door.

The Constance family on the city’s northside was forced to go public when the situation became unbearable over the weekend.

Soaring temperatures produced an overpowering stench from the heaps of rubbish which have been dumped in the front and back gardens of the boarded-up house next door to their Fairhill home.

The house has lain empty and boarded up for almost two years since a fire caused extensive damage.

Joanne Constance, who lives with her father, John, in the house next door, said since then the gardens have been used as an open tip by illegal dumpers who usually arrive at night.

Bags of household rubbish, beer bottles, dozens of nappies and an old washing machine were clearly visible there yesterday.

Rats and flies were evident among the mounds of rubbish. Joanne said she and her father are close to breaking point.

“This has been going on now for almost two years,” she said.

“We’ve made complaints to the local housing office and to City Hall, but nothing has happened.

“This is now a health and safety issue. It’s a disgrace.”

Joanne said she felt no option but to go public in an attempt to embarrass authorities into action and to safeguard the health of local children.

Joanne said the situation became so bad on one occasion last year, that her father was forced to clean up the mess himself.

Joanne also contacted Neil Prendeville’s show on Cork’s 96fm to highlight the problem.

The council’s housing department confirmed that a contractor is due to start work repairing the vacant house this week. Part of the work will include removal of the rubbish, a spokesman said.