Derelict house on Ross Road- Patrick St. Enniscorthy. Pic: John Walsh
AN ELDERLY woman has been left a prisoner in her own home in Enniscorthy because she lives next door to an illegal rat-infested dump.
Bridget Courtney (91) of 27 Ross Road told The Echo that she “hasn’t been outside in years” due to dangers presented by the surrounding area to her home.
Mrs. Courtney said: “Age is against me too but I could at least walk up and down my street. Anyone can see that it’s so dangerous; there are rats everywhere, and a heap of rubbish – including mattresses, plastic bags and beer cans – is just left there.”
The Enniscorthy woman has lived in the residence all her life, but in recent years has put up with ‘dreadful’ conditions.
Her grandson Eddie Milbourne McCarthy explained: “The houses on each side of hers are both unused; one is a store room and the other derelict for the last three years. That property is unsecured, unmaintained and a health and safety risk for the residents of Patrick Street and Ross Road.
He added: “The house is falling down — the slates are unsecured and a hazard to people using the public footpath. The back garden is open and a dumping ground which has been used for domestic waste and building waste. This means rats are rampant and a major health risk to people using the footpaths as well as potential contamination of ground water and water supply which run through that garden into my grandmothers.”
Mr. Milbourne McCarthy fumed: “My Grandmother has contacted the council on numerous occasions, and after three years, she has been very reasonable, as most people would agree. Squatters have used this house, dumpers have used this house, and the danger to the general public is very real. My Grandmother is genuinely afraid that someone will set fire to this unsecured building; she is afraid she might get rats in her house. She is afraid that a member of her family is going to be injured visiting her. At 91 years of age she doesn’t deserve this situation.”
Enniscorthy Town Clerk David Minogue confirmed that Enniscorthy Town Council is in the midst of purchasing the property from its private owner and hope to do so in the next two-three weeks.
“Only when the council has ownership can we begin to finally sort out this rubbish issue,” he said. “This property has been abused by many people and the level of rubbish has impacted on the owners of surrounding properties, particularly Number 27.”
Mr. Minogue added that “further down the line” the council may re-build the property but for now his main priority is to deal with the rubbish and make the area more presentable.
Mrs. Courtney’s daughter Philomena Milbourne said that she welcomes this news as it is “the best we can hope for at this stage”, and hopes that work will commence as soon as possible to improve the situation.
[For the full story, see this week’s Echo]
