Council too soft on tenants who cause hell for neighbours – Byrne

WEXFORD County Council has been accused of failing to properly deal with council tenants or residents in estates who engage in anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Malcolm Byrne was responding to a story in the Irish Examiner recently which showed that in 2015 and 2016, Wexford County Council received 563 complaints of anti-social behaviour – the highest number of any council outside of Dublin. The report highlighted the inaction of local authorities nationwide in dealing with the problems reported to them.

‘I have been raising the problem of the small minority of council tenants who cause hell for their neighbours for a number of years and the fact that Wexford County Council continues to adopt a softly, softly approach with these tenants,’ said Cllr Byrne.

‘ The vast majority of council tenants work hard, keep their houses well and contribute to the community, yet there seems to be a reluctance to deal effectively with troublemakers,’ he continued.

Malcolm pointed out that it is not just council tenants where complaints are received. ‘ There are sometimes renters who cause havoc and the council does not have either the power nor the will to take tough action,’ he said. ‘For example, last week at the County Council meeting, I cited the case of an individual who has allowed dozens of bags of rubbish to be built up in her front garden. This is a health and environment hazard.

‘Rather than take a prosecution, the council arranged to have the rubbish taken away not once but twice. This is completely unfair for that person’s neighbours.’

The North Wexford councillor urged the council executive to take a tougher line on anti-social behaviour in the interests of the vast majority who want to build their community.