Farmer facing loss of herd if he fails to clean farmyard

TARBERT FARMER PROSECUTED FOR ‘INADVERTENTLY’ POLLUTING WATER

A TARBERT farmer has been warned that he will face ‘destocking’ if he fails to clean up his dirty farmyard which is polluting the local water system.

Noel Keane (57) of Coolnanoonagh, Tarbert, appeared before Judge James O’Connor at Listowel District Court on Thursday, prosecuted by Kerry County Council for having ‘failed, neglected or refused to comply with a notice’’ under the Local Government Water Act contrary to the provisions of the Nitrates Directive.

KCC solicitor Ger McSwiney told the court there had ‘been a lot of difficulties with the area’, adding that it was ‘heavily polluted’ as a result of operations on the farm.

Defence solicitor Pa Daly explained that the problems arose from the state of the farmyard with pollutants, apparently inadvertently on Mr Keane’s part, getting into the local water course.

Mr Keane, a bachelor with up to 150 head of cattle, is now calling on the help of his neighbours to clean the yard. Mr Daly suggested the case be adjourned until October to allow time for the clean-up but Judge O’Connor said he was not inclined to see the case drag into the winter given the scale of the problem he gleaned from perusing photographs of the scene.

Mr Keane’s neighbour Tom ‘Saleen’ O’Connor told the judge the defendant was as ‘straight as a rule’ and that he personally had known nothing of the pollution despite visits to the farm.

“This goes back to March... even a blind man could see the pollution...you’re full of aul’ baloney,” the Judge told Mr O’Connor, adjourning the case until the September 21 sitting of the court while warning: “If this stuff is in the same way by August we will be destocking Mr Keane.”