COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

QUESTION NO. 13

QUESTION: Councillor E. Tuffy

"To ask the Manager if she can arrange for an inspection of reported rat infestation to be carried out at the lands behind Tullyhall Estate on which a development by Eleveden Properties has begun, but has not progressed in the last two years or more, and if there is evidence of rat infestation at this location, that the HSE be requested to apply the appropriate treatment?"

REPLY:

The lands in question is situated to the rear of Tullyhall Estate and backs onto the link road between the Fonthill Road and the Outer Ring Road.

Following recent site inspection, the Environmental Health Officer for the area has reported that while there was previously a problem with dumping at Lynchs Lane, which contributed to the pest issue, the dumping activity has largely ceased.  The land  is fenced off from the estate using eight foot plus metal fencing. The top of the fence is corrugated to discourage climbing. At time of inspection there were 3 bags of waste on the long strip of land and a variety of inert material, such as tyres, poles, a bag of wool insulation, and some green waste obviously thrown over by residents (hedge clippings from nearby houses) etc. There were no obvious signs of pest activity on the land. There were no track indicating rodent runs, no smears on the concrete or roadways, no droppings nor were the 3 bags of  domestic waste nibbled at all.

In the past, the lands have been administered on behalf of the owners by a management company who  have, on request,  provided details of their pest control for this land which includes  2/3 visits per anum  to the site by a private pest control firm. The company's main control for pest activity is to restrict unauthorised access and to prevent dumping on the land.   The Environmental Health Officer for the area is making further contact with the management company to arrange for clean up of the site and to establish  if the pest control arrangements are still in place.

The HSE does not provide a pest control service for commercial property. Any residents in the Tullyhall estate experiencing a problem with rats may contact the HSE Pest Control service on 01 620 6057 to arrange an appointment to bait their own garden. The HSE must receive a request from a resident to lay the bait; they cannot bait a garden on the request of a neighbour.