'Donegal vandalism 'totally unbelievable' – Cllr Albert Doherty

The community in North Inishowen has been left outraged by an incident of vandalism, which needlessly diverted emergency services to the area at a time when they might have been required elsewhere.

 According to Donegal Councillor Albert Doherty (Sinn Féin), two telegraph poles on the Drumaville Road, between Carndonagh and Culdaff, were damaged. One pole was chopped down completely and the other was left in a dangerously precarious position.

Speaking to Donegal Live, Donegal Cllr Doherty said: “I was contacted by a concerned constituent, a motorist who had passed the site,  early on Saturday morning who told me one telegraph pole had been left in 'a very dangerous position, an acciden waiting to hapen.'

“I asked him to ring An Garda Síochána and I rang the Emergency Services Roads of Donegal County Council. Later that evening, I was assured that the appropriate notices had been put up. I understand the pole is now in a safe situation.

“However, my reaction is, 'whatever betook someone to carryout such a senseless act?' When I think about all that is ongoing in the area, in the country, at the minute.

“The emergency services are at the end of their collar working for us and none of the emergency services should be drawn away for incidents like this, at any time never mind the present circumstances. It is totally unbelievable. I see Eir engineers in that area today. I don't know if the telegraph poles have been replaced by now but certainly, the hazard that it was has been removed,” concluded Cllr Doherty.