‘Strong action’ needed at Stereame

Local representatives are calling for action to be taken over the illegal parking of caravans at two sites in Nenagh.

The persistent reoccurence of an encampment at the Stereame business park was discussed at last week's meeting of Nenagh Municipal District. Cllr John Carroll hit out at the presence of “transient groups” at a site where many businesses are operating and where the local authority is trying to attract further site visits.

Stereame has become like a “tipp head” with the amount of rubbish that is being dumped in the area, Cllr Carroll said. Business owners and their customers are having to “run the gauntlet” when passing the encampment at the entrance to the site.

He pointed out that this issue has recurred several times in recent years. “Nobody seems to be able to deal with the matter,” he exclaimed. People assumed it was a garda responsibility, but the gardaí appeared unable or uninterested in doing anything, he said.

Cllr Carroll said he had witnessed those involved breaking fence posts in order to access the site. The litter they are producing is an environmental matter. He warned that the situation could result in business being lost at Stereame and he called for an urgent meeting between the council, gardaí and site owner.

HOW IS THIS ALLOWED?

In support, Cllr Ger Darcy said people have also been asking him about how such a situation is allowed to continue. A lot of good work has been done at Stereame but the issue in question has gone on for far too long, and Cllr Darcy was concerned that there is still no end in sight.

Cllr Seámie Morris said new caravans seemed to be arriving at the site all the time. “It's vandalism,” he said of what is happening. “If I did it, I'd be brought to justice, but certain people can do it.”

Illegal parking on a roundabout has to raise questions about traffic safety, Cllr Morris said, agreeing that the littering is an environmental issue that must be of concern to the council. He said a “truck-load of rubbish” was left in one area and that he has reported littering to the council several times.

Cllr Morris also referred to begging at the site and the presence of a party living in a temporary cabin that has been offered accommodation “several times”. All of this is detracting from the ongoing efforts to promote Nenagh and this site in particular, Cllr Morris said.

“I want strong action on this,” he demanded. “I want us to write to the owners out there and say we're not tolerating this. We're all sick of it now.”

‘UNITED FRONT’

Cllr Michael O'Meara called for a “united front” in dealing with the situation. He said the same action is needed further outside the town where a site off the M7 has been frequently broken into in recent years and used for encampments. While Stereame is a private site, the one referred to by Cllr O'Meara was owned by the council and he called for a plan to be put in place.

He appreciated the difficulties facing the authorities, saying they are “probably dealing with unreasonable people”. There are services available and there is no need for people to be raising children at the side of the road, Cllr O'Meara said. He believed that those involved are at least represented by reasonable people, “but they don't seem to want to help themselves”.

Cllr Fiona Bonfield supported the call to write to the owner of the Stereame site, as did Cllr John Rocky McGrath, but he was also of the view that “you're dealing with different people here. The arrogance of them is deplorable... I don't know what we're going to do.”

District Administrator Rosemary Joyce said the council is fully aware of the issues at both sites. Ongoing engagement is taking place between the gardaí, property owners and local businesses, she said, adding that the council's Environment & Climate Action and Housing sections are also involved.

Cllr Carroll said the council “has got to be seen to act” where vandalism of its own property is concerned. But with such “challenging times for business”, he said there is an urgent need for action at Stereame.

“A huge amount of work has been done there,” he said of the business park. “I don't want to see that undermined.”