Councillors keep focus on Ahamlish drainage issue
A NUMBER of councillors have said that issues with drainage at Ahamlish Cemetery in Grange must be addressed.
A motion was put forward at this week’s meeting of Sligo County Council by Cllr Tom Fox who requested an update on the situation.
A report issued to councillors stated that “the provision of a drainage system would involve going through third party lands. Initial contact was made with the land owner, but no agreement was reached to date.”
Cllr Fox said this issue needs to be revolved soon as residents are becoming increasingly frustrated by a lack of action.
“This is an issue that is ongoing and I have been asked numerous times to follow it up. This is an issue that could be rectified quite simply I would have thought.
“There is people concerned and disappointed about nothing being done and this job needs to be done as soon as possible. There are people visiting the graves of their loved ones, the water needs to be diverted away and appropriate drainage needs to be put in place, this has gone on for long enough.”
The motion was supported by Cllr Donal Gilroy who said he had first-hand experience of the problem recently as water had to be pumped out of a freshly dug grave.
He said the problem “isn’t as simple as we would like it to be” but he has been assured that work is expected to happen on upgrading facilities.
Cllr Rosaleen O’Grady – who previously brought a similar motion forward – thanked Cllr Fox for keeping the item on the table as, after 15 years of motions from councillors across the political spectrum, it was finally time that the problem was addressed.
“This has been an ongoing issue for 15 years. It is a huge issue for residents who have to bucket water out of the graves of their loved ones before the coffins are put down – that is the reality. It is a dreadful thing for anyone to go through. Now is the time to address it.”