Independent councillor Terry O’Flaherty has called for more action to be taken against dog owners who allow their pets to foul on footpaths, beaches, green areas and playing pitches throughout the city.
“I have been inundated with complaints from people who go out for walks and end up stepping on something disgusting either on the footpaths, the grass verges or in the parks and green areas and in particular the beaches,” she said.
“Many of the complaints I have been receiving are in relation to dogs fouling on the beaches — even though dogs are banned from the city beaches from 8am to 9pm, during the months from May to September. This ban is being blatantly ignored by some individuals.
“Some people seem to think it’s okay to let their dog do their business wherever they want, without any thought for children, buggies, wheelchair users and adults who might be playing or walking in these open areas.”
Councillor O’Flaherty added that dog fouling can be a contributory factor to the contamination of bathing water.
“I can’t begin to think about what goes through the minds of some dog owners who pick up their dogs faeces, put it in a bag … and then leave the bag at the side of a path, on a green area or throw it under a bush — it is happening way too often.
“Most responsible dog owners clean up after their dog has fouled and shame on those who leave it for others to clean up the mess.
“Some people complain that there’s a lack of bins to deposit the bag in and they are left to carry it with them while they are out walking, but that’s no excuse for just dumping the bag anywhere, and thankfully this is not the case in Ballyloughane as there are adequate bins to dispose of the bag
“I’m appealing to those unscrupulous dog owners to have some consideration for others ,” added Councillor O’Flaherty.
A dog owner who fails to clean up their pet’s waste is liable for an on-the-spot fine of €150 — but only one single owner in Galway City had such a fine imposed in the past six years.
The Galway City Council are seeking volunteers to get involved in the ‘Clean it up you dirty pup’ campaign and would welcome as many people to join them over the next few months.
The campaign involves highly colourful ground stencils and posters urging people to pick up after their dogs, and volunteers spraying unclaimed droppings with vibrant coloured paint to make the hazard more obvious to pedestrians
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Stable water supply for the Headford area
Cllr Mary Hoade has received confirmation from Irish Water that homes and business in the Headford area will have a more reliable water supply in the next few weeks.
Irish Water are to replace 700 m of old water mains which are susceptible to regular bursts.
“The new pipes on the Headford Road will put a stop to outages and leaks. This will provide a stronger supply for homes and businesses in the area.
“Traffic lights will be in operation during the course of the project, but the area of work will be limited to short sections to minimise impact,” she said.
This will require short term water interruptions and all customers will be given a minimum of 48 hours notice prior to any planned interruptionns.
