Caravans and anti-social behaviour at Kildare estate

RESIDENTS in a south Kildare estate plagued by anti-social behaviour are at their wits’ end.

The situation in Moate View, Kilmead has been raised once again by local councillor Aoife Breslin, who is demanding action from Kildare Co Council.

“A number of caravans are illegally parking in the green areas that children used to play in, can no longer play in. The graveyard which is an historic graveyard and would be famous within Kildare is being used as a public toilet,” she told the Kildare Nationalist.

“The other issue we have is that these caravans that come, stay for a day, stay for a couple of days, stay for a couple of weeks. They also have a large number of dogs with them, the dogs roam freely up and down the estate. We have horses at times being kept in the alleyway at the back of the estate. We have scramblers coming in and out of the estate morning, noon and night. And we have sulkies in the estate on occasion and it's used for sulky racing.

“It is not acceptable behaviour,” she added. “This situation is probably going on three to four years, has never been adequately dealt with.” Cllr Breslin, the Cathaoirleach of Athy Municipal District, raised the ongoing issue once more at their July meeting where she called on the council to carry out works to prohibit illegal encampments in Moate View.

A brief report explained that the local authority’s Housing department and the Roads Area Office have commenced plans for works at this area, adding that it’s envisaged these will commence in Quarter 3, subject to funding.

Cllr Breslin told that meeting that she was extremely disappointed with the report. She asked if the residents are not entitled to live in some kind of comfort, adding that there have been numerous motions.

“This work needs to be done now,” she said in the council chamber. “We are letting down our tenants.” 

Her Labour Party colleague cllr Mark Leigh said he was very disappointed to see this still on the agenda.

“I’ve had this up four times now and I hope, cllr Breslin, you have more luck with it than I have had,” he said. “I see you have been told it will be done in Q3 of this year subject to funding. I have been told the plan is done, funding is in place and all that was required was a contractor and it was to be done in Q4 in 2022, Q2 and Q3 in 2023 and Q2 of 2024 and yet it hasn’t been done and back on the long finger.” 

The meeting heard that the proposed solution is a ‘berm’. Kildare Co Council has been contacted for further details but, as of time of press, has not responded.

Cllr Breslin told this paper that gardaí are a familiar sight in the estate. 

“We've had the Public Order out there, we've had a female officer whose jaw was broken… every weekend the guards are attending an incident out there,” she explained, and said the situation needs an overall approach. “There is a small number of people causing this problem, as against the amount of people there that are trying to live peacefully, raise their children and raise their family. I've canvassed those doors, I've been out at those doors, I know that people won't answer the door in Kilmead because they're afraid of intimidation. And it really has to be tackled.”