A woman with an address in Donegal was fined €500 in Ballyhaunis District Court in her absence this week.
Des Hannick, environmental enforcement officer with Mayo County Council, told the court that on November 25 2009 he received a call about a large quantity of illegal dumping on the outskirts of Ballyhaunis. When he arrived he found a large amount of household waste dumped in black bags, coal bags, and a duvet cover that had burst open.
Mr Hannick stated that on inspection of the rubbish he found a letter addressed to an Ellen Ward in Roscommon, and he called to the address with a colleague from Roscommon County Council a short time later. However when they called they were informed that Ward had moved on to Donegal. With the co-operation of the gardaí he was able to discover that she was now living in Donegal at Station Road, Ballyshannon. The summons was issued to Ms Ellen Ward, Station Road, Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, subsequently and was delivered to her correctly.
Judge Mary Devins asked Mr Hannick how many bags of rubbish were involved, to which he replied there were more than 30 bags and a second person had already been prosecuted in relation to it at an earlier court sitting.
Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined Ward €500 and awarded €500 in costs against her towards Mayo County Council’s expenses.
