Clean up of illegal camp in Carlow town will cost €10k

CARLOW Co Council will have to pay thousands of euros to clean up after around 40 caravans set up camp on public lands on the L4048 between Eire Óg and Ballinacarrig Road, Carlow town earlier this month.

After being issued with notices to vacate by council officials and gardaí, the group left the site last Monday, leaving piles of plastic rubbish in their wake.

In a social media post, cllr Fintan Phelan said the council had used a sub-contractor, South-East Security Ltd, to assist gardaí in moving the occupants that evening after notices to vacate had expired. Other posts on social media show the extensive bags of rubbish that were left behind.

Cllr Phelan said the council has been making efforts to secure the site, contacting the adjoining landowner to place concrete blocks inside the locked gates to the field on the Ballinacarrig Road.

In a statement, the housing department of Carlow Co Council said it has to finalise the total cost of enforcement and cleaning at the Eire Og site but noted that it will be close to the 2025 cost, which was almost €10,000 when the cost of security, waste disposal, enforcement and securing the site was taken into account.