Kilkenny children embarrassed as playground now an eyesore

The public playground near the Fr McGrath centre in Kilkenny has become an eyesore as repeated rubbish dumping and burning is ongoing at the site since last Hallowe’en.

Mayor of Kilkenny David Fitzgerald recently visited the site of illegal dumping and rubbish burning in a children’s playground at Butts Green.

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Fr McGrath Centre Director of Services Stephen Murphy  said: “Local children are embarrassed because they know it’s their neighbours who are doing this but this started when the county council failed to turn up to take away the remains of the community Hallowe'en bonfire. 

“That flagged the remnants as a green light to individuals to just dump and burn their rubbish in this public park.

“As director of services in the Fr McGrath Centre I feel no one is listening and this County Council public playground and park is totally neglected because it’s in the Butts – a housing estate where they are the biggest landlords for three generations.

“It’s time that changed and they stepped up to their public responsibility to these children, who deserve the same safe public services as everyone else’s children.

Mr Murphy said that traffic and potential future plans for the area  could have a detrimental impact on Kilkenny’s oldest housing area if not executed properly. Butts Green is one of the few community green spaces left in the city and its environs.

Mayor David Fitzgerald responded to the dumping  saying: ‘’Following an invitation from the Fr McGrath Centre, I visited the playground and public park  close to the Butts Green. I was appalled to see general household waste being burnt adjacent to the playground  in a public park. Since my visit  the County Council has removed three separate rubbish piles from the affected area. 

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“I  can confirm that remote CCTV cameras will be installed in all areas where illegal dumping is suspected and identified dumpers will be prosecuted. Illegal dumping cannot and will not be tolerated in our city.”

Ann Marie Shortall, Senior Executive Officer in Environment, Energy and Climate Action at Kilkenny County Council said: “This matter was reported to the Environment Section of Kilkenny County Council last week. Arrangements were put in place to have the area cleaned and the rubbish was removed on Thursday, December 8. 

“An investigation of the illegal dumping is currently being carried out by our Environmental Enforcement Officer.”

Green Party councillor Maria Dollard  said: “Incidents like these bring littering into sharp focus. Illegal dumping and littering is a scourge anywhere it happens in our beautiful city and county. We need to have zero tolerance to dumping, casual dropping of litter, backyard burning of rubbish and dog littering. 

“These practices are not confined to any particular community or group of people but generally practised by people thoughtlessly expecting others to clean up after them. 

“Everyone is responsible for their own waste and people using unlicensed waste collectors should think long and hard about that.”