Councillor brands dog fouling outside Glenties school ‘disgraceful and dangerous’

A Donegal County Councillor has slammed as ‘disgraceful, disgusting and dangerous’ an incident of dog fouling outside a Glenties national school.

Councillor Brian Carr was making the comments after dog waste was found by staff at Scoil Mhuire.

A spokesperson for the school said this was not the first time such an incident had occurred.

Councillor Carr, who has a motion on the wider issue of dog fouling across Donegal set to go before a meeting of Donegal County Council on Monday, said: “This is absolutely disgraceful, disgusting, dangerous and downright neglect on behalf of the dog owner. I have a motion going before Donegal Council Plenary meeting next Monday to deal with this issue of dog fouling.”

Staff of Scoil Mhuire found the mess on their way into the school and say that such an incident “just isn’t acceptable”.

“This isn't the first time either,” they said. “Numerous times children coming into school carrying it through corridors, having to be changed with another child recently slipping on it in the grass.”

A third dog warden is due to be appointed in Donegal, with the service outsourced to a company from outside the company.

Councillor Carr, in a motion that will be debated in Lifford on Monday, has asked that the Donegal County Council ensures that: “a comprehensive countywide campaign is put in place to tackle dog fouling and irresponsible dog owners. 

“This campaign should include a public awareness and media campaign, improved signage in communities, provision of dog waste bags and dispensers, increased visible dog warden presence, and a strengthened enforcement approach, including prosecutions for dog fouling, dogs running loose, and failure to remove and properly dispose of dog waste.”

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Councillor Carr has asked that arrangements be put in place to ensure each elected member receives a commitment of regular dog warden patrols within their Municipal District and that councillors be provided with a direct contact point to request additional or more frequent dog warden visits where ongoing issues arise.

The motion is expected to be seconded by Councillor Michael McClafferty.