‘Zero progress on farm clean-up’

There had been “zero progress” in two years on the clean-up of a Co Kerry farm-yard where there was no proper provision for storage of soiled water and slurry, a county council solicitor told Tralee district court yesterday where the owners, a husband and wife, had been summonsed under EU legislation.

On February 18, 2013, Eileen Griffin of Killeentierna, Currow, Co Kerry and Denis Griffin of Hogan’s Place, Main St, Castleisland, at their holding at Killentierna, Currow, Castleisland, had failed to maintain storage facilities for organic fertiliser, soiled water and effluents from dunglands and farmyard manure pits in such a manner to prevent run off into groundwater, contrary to good agricultural practice, according to the summons.

Kerry County Council environmental officer Mark O’Sullivan already told the court when he first visited water was “seeping” onto the cul-de-sac road which served other houses and farmyards. Dairy cows were being kept but there was no suitable storage for waste. There had been a 6in to 8in pool of water in the public road.