Farmers in Shannon have been posed problems by the lack of security gates on the entrance road to the Tradaree wastewater treatment plant, the county’s first citizen has claimed.
Provision of security gates “with pedestrian styles” on the entrance road to the Tradaree sewage treatment plant were sought by Cllr PJ Ryan (IND) at a recent sitting of the Shannon Municipal District.
Vehicle access to the Sli na Mara road would be prevented if physical barriers were introduced, senior executive engineer Tom Mellett warned. “The road is used by members of the public, farmers, Garden Allotment holders and staff of the Tradaree wastewater treatment plant”, he noted.
Mellett added, “Restricting access to pedestrians would require a change in status to the road and leave a requirement on Clare County Council to provide an alternative means of access for other users”.
Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Ryan detailed that farmers in the area had made their concerns known to him. “People are using the walkway with dogs off the leash and there is people complaining that there is cattle there in the afternoons. One farmer told me at least an acre of his land was damaged with people driving on his land, at one stage those gates used to be locked at 7pm in the evening, it is a problem for the farmers”.
Such concerns should be brought before An Garda Síochána, Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) believed. “This is a public road that people have a right to the access. The issues referred to are for the Gardaí to address, they are law and order. Clare County Council own a large swathe of land in the area”.
“It is a public road but Clare County Council have control over it and have to have some sympathy, Gardaí can’t be there 24 hours a day. There has to be accountability on Clare County Council’s side,” Cllr Ryan replied.
Potential risks to the treatment plant must be taken into consideration, Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) flagged. “A farmer has informed me that if there was a storm, it all depends on the way the wind is blowing that if they were blown down the whole station would come to a halt which is very serious”.
