Convicted and fined for illegal dumping near Fenagh

A woman who pleaded guilty to illegally dumping waste near Fenagh has been convicted, fined and ordered to pay €1,200 in costs.

Carrick-on-Shannon District Court heard that Carmel Doyle, Apartment 1, Main Street, Ballinamore had “eased prosecution” by entering an early guilty plea but it was also noted that photos of the dumping showed “this is quite a serious matter”.

Ms Doyle faced two matters namely creating litter in a public place and disposal of waste in a manner likely to cause pollution at Greagh, Fenagh.

Acting on behalf of Leitrim County Council, solicitor for the prosecution, Frank Gearty said that Ms Doyle has availed of the opportunity to “get her act together” and is now registered with a waste collection company and is fully compliant. She has also been providing proof of the correct disposal of her waste to the Council.

He noted that Ms Doyle was not the only one illegally dumping in this area but said that the bags she dumped contained ample evidence to identify her.

Community Warden Michael Reynolds said that he had been responding to a report of litter in a field outside of Fenagh. When he inspected it, he found a sizeable dump site which took several days to inspect.

He discovered bags containing evidence linking some of the items dumped to Ms Doyle.

He acknowledged that not all the material dumped was from Ms Doyle, accepting that it was clear that a number of people had been illegally dumping at this location.

Ms Doyle’s solicitor, Peter Collins, explained his client is a 47-year-old mother of a 17-year-old girl.

“She is in quite poor circumstances,” he said, noting she is in receipt of €256 in social welfare per week.

“When she got the apartment (she lives in) the landlord didn’t provide any bins,” said Mr Collins.

“She got a bit of help from a commercial unit downstairs who allowed her to put her rubbish in their bins. She also used community bins in town, but she had gotten rid of the remaining bags (by illegally dumping them).”

“She knows what she did was wrong. Once the Council came to her she immediately admitted fault,” he added.

He said she was accepting whatever fine the court sought to impose only asking that time be given to allow her to pay in installments.

Judge Sandra Murphy noted that the “littering was quite substantial. She convicted and fined Ms Doyle €750 for both offences and ordered her to pay costs of €1,200.