Athlone Deputy Mayor, Cllr Aengus O’Rourke, has called for the immediate removal of the old, decaying and very unsightly plant, diggers and machinery, from the laneway beside and behind the houses in Cornamaddy, close to the roundabout on the N55.
Speaking at the most recent sitting of the Athlone-Moate Municipal District, Cllr O’Rourke, noted that the machinery was “very visible” and made for “an unpleasant sight” on a main entry route to the town.
“Such unsightly and decaying machinery cannot be missed by those travelling into Athlone on the N55. Such a decrepid sight is not welcome in our town and must give cause for concerned first impressions as visitors enter our town.
“It truly is an unsightly manifestation and I can only hope that swift action is taken to resolve this issue in the immediate future,” Cllr O’Rourke stated.
Concurring, Fine Gael Councillor, John Dolan, stated that the removal of such unused machinery should not be an issue for the relevant personnel “considering the price being paid for scrap metal” at this time.
“At all times, we must keep our town presentable to the public and this unsightly scene is a blight at this particular location. Could we, as a Municipal District, contact Hammond Lane and arrange for the machinery to be collected?” Cllr Dolan remarked.
Responding, Municipal District Manager, Jackie Finney, stated that the executive had made a number of “informal approaches” with regard to the issue.
“A number of site visits have been conducted by the Environmental Section and the District Office and there are numerous courses of action with which we could possibly proceed.
“The machinery rests on private and public lands and we need to assess the situation further before we determine how to proceed in this instance. It is our aim to take the necessary action in due course and I will keep you, the members, updated, as we proceed,” Ms Finney concluded.
