Rats reap benefits of Celtic Tiger

Donal Hickey on the growing rodent population.

ONE of the unwelcome byproducts of the Celtic Tiger, especially the building boom, is that it has boosted the rat population. The huge increase in waste output since the mid-1990’s and irregular rubbish collections have also helped provide more food for rodents.

And in keeping with the best entrepreneurial traditions, more rats and mice mean more business opportunities for enterprising individuals. It used to be said that a person that could invent a better mouse trap was on their way to millionaire status.