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Urine warden plan dries up


 

AN Ennis Town Council-led crackdown on public urination isn’t going to go ahead.
At a meeting this week, Councillor Paul O’Shea, who recently suggested creating a position of urine warden in the town, brought forward a motion asking that a six-month pilot project be introduced that would see two people employed as environment and nuisance wardens.
But town clerk Eddie Power shot down the proposals. “The gardaí have the powers under the Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994 to deal with public urination. Ennis Town Council as a local authority does not have the legal basis to take any action in this regard. In any event, the council is prohibited by the public service staffing embargo to recruit additional staff.”
However, Councillor O’Shea was not deterred and claimed that funding could be found. He also claimed that the problem isn’t being tackled. “When was the last time anyone saw in the papers that someone had been fined for public urination?” he asked.
Councillor Johnny Flynn felt he might have a solution if the council was willing to put its money where its mouth was.
“There’s a very successful solution that’s used in 100 towns and cities, where a urinal comes out of the ground. It’s called Urilift and it can be provided for €35,000.”
While Councillor O’Shea said that he would continue to pursue the issue, Councillor Tommy Brennan rubbished it. “It’s being blown out of all proportion and it started after one individual got a lot of publicity.”

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