Rat infestation threatens to close city businesses

RATS which have infested a derelict city centre shopping centre site in Limerick are now threatening nearby businesses.

One of the city’s biggest nightclubs has been forced to close due to health and safety concerns emanating from nearby derelict buildings, which were due to be levelled to make way for the proposed Opera Centre, a massive shopping mall.

A rat infestation has now spread through the Patrick Street site which has lain idle for some years.

The Trinity Rooms, which employs a staff of 50, has now closed temporarily.

The Health Service Executive has been informed and a spokesman said environmental health officers have been discussing the problem with city council officials.

A spokesperson for The Trinity Rooms confirmed that they had closed on a temporary basis due to health and safety concerns.

“We brought this matter to the attention of Limerick City Council and the HSE immediately on discovering the issue and voluntarily agreed to close the premises with immediate effect.

“We are fully satisfied that The Trinity Rooms is not the source of this problem, but this in no way relieves us of our obligation to uphold best practice in health and safety standards for our staff and clientele.

“Therefore, the premises will remain closed to the public until we have managed to isolate The Trinity Rooms from this external health and safety issue.”

The spokesperson said staff have been temporarily laid of.

The HSE said they had not forced the closure, but that the proprietors had taken the decision to close after informing the HSE of the problem.

Cllr Kevin Kiely has called for the city council to place a dereliction order on the Opera Centre site, saying it was overrun with rodents and was also the cause of anti-social behaviour in the area.

“The site is derelict now for the last four years and if you leave a place run down like that, you are going to have a situation with rodents,” Mr Kiely said.