Council refuses to install dog fouling bins in East Cork town

The refusal comes despite many smaller towns in the region having an abundance of them

There are no dog fouling bins in Midleton and council officials are refusing to introduce them unless some voluntary organisations like Tidy Towns offer to clean them out. File picture: Larry Cummins

Council officials have flatly refused to put designated dog fouling bins in the biggest town in East Cork, despite an abundance in smaller towns in the region.

There are 75 litter bins and 15 dog fouling receptacles in Cobh, while there are 46 and 10 respectively in Youghal.

However, there are just 23 litter bins and no dog fouling bins in Midleton and council officials are refusing to introduce the latter unless some voluntary organisations like Tidy Towns offer to clean them out.

The decision has been described as totally unacceptable by independent councillor John Buckley, who’s also a noted volunteer with the local Tidy Towns. Mr Buckley said Midleton is being blighted by dog fouling, especially on popular walkways in Broomfield and on the Northern Relief Road.

Mr Buckley said: “People are dumping dog poo in these areas and it’s attracting vermin. 

We have just 23 litter bins of which most are in the town centre and we don’t have any dog poo ones. Midleton has the biggest population in the East Cork region, which is growing all the time. It makes no sense at all.

He said he couldn’t accept the council offer to put in two dog fouling receptacles only if volunteers came forward to clean them, as council workers provide that service in the other two towns.

Labour councillor Cathal Rasmussen, who lives in Cobh, said he couldn’t understand the council’s stance in Midleton. “We’ve even put in an extra couple of these bins in Cobh this year,” he said.

Mr Rasmussen pointed out that when his municipal district was in charge of the very popular 'People's Park' at Haulbowline, council officials somewhat unexpectedly refused to put dog fouling bins in there.

He said that a huge number of dog walkers visit the park and the lack of such bins is leading to pet owners dumping filled bags into shrubbery and also into the harbour.

Youghal-based independent councillor Mary Linehan Foley said that while they have these bins in her town and provide free poo bags to locals, they still have issues.

“People are still flinging the bags onto bushes and trees. I mean what kind of person actually does that? Sometimes you can provide all the bins in the world, and they don’t work,” she said.

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Midleton-based Fine Gael councillor Rory Cocking said that the problem in his town emanates from people walking their dogs for long distances and “get sick and tired of holding the bag for so long they just fling it away” as they don’t have the designated bins in which to dispose of them.

Fianna Fáil councillor Ann Marie Ahern suggested that the council put up warning signs about fines for culprits at the areas in Midleton which are being blighted by dog fouling.

Council officials said they will consider doing this but remain adamant that their policy as regards to putting in such bins is that people should carry their pet’s droppings home and dispose of them in their own bins.