Mullingar West Community Council, which represents 12 housing estates in the town, has threatened to report anyone who attempts to start a bonfire in these areas during Halloween to the authorities.
A blanket ban on all bonfires in the area has been imposed by the Community Council, having been instructed by residents' associations in the following estates - Abbeylands, Ashfield, Ardleigh Vale, Ardleigh Crescent, Ardleigh Park, The Moorings, Ardilaun Heights, Ardilaun Green, Cara Vale, Cara Grove, Greenpark, and Greenpark Meadows.
According to Fergal Hegarty, chairman of Mullingar West Community Council, “The Mullingar West Community Council does not want to see a repetition of the lawlessness, vandalism, indiscriminate youth drinking, and indiscriminate burning of household waste as has taken place over the last few years.
“It is disappointing to note that certain politicians, during a recent discussion on imposing a county-wide ban on bonfires, have evaded the issue, thereby giving the impression that they are encouraging both bonfires and anti-social behaviour.”
Mr Hegarty continued, “Mullingar has suffered through adverse negative publicity. Mullingar West Community Council would like ourselves and the rest of the residents of Mullingar to be able to live, work, and enjoy the recreational facilities of Mullingar, without the cloud of destruction and negative publicity that the town has received as a result of riots, house burning, and other anti-social behaviour over the last six months.
“We would like Mullingar to be a place we can be proud of and a place that people want to visit. Mullingar West Community Council calls on politicians to impose a county-wide bonfire ban and to stop sitting on the fence,” Fergal Hegarty added.
It is understood that Kinnegad Community Council, which has also called for a ban on bonfires in its area, will also call for the imposition of a county-wide ban on bonfires.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fail councillor Ken Glynn will table a motion at next week's Mullingar Town Council meeting, calling on Westmeath County Council to take measures to regulate, control, or ban bonfires in the town. Cllr Glynn has said that council staff, who could have been deployed elsewhere, had to dismantle a bonfire in one area of Mullingar last year, which cost taxpayers' money.
In another case, council staff and residents had to put out a fire in Ardleigh Park, and fire personnel who arrived at the scene were attacked. Cllr Glynn believes that bonfires should be held in a controlled environment, with proper supervision. He has called for the local authority to have a public consultation process in order to formulate a plan.
