Concerns raised over tar and asphalt dumping in Doochary village

A Tidy Towns committee are raising concern about the dumping of tar and asphalt along of stretch of road which leads into the picturesque village of Doochary. 

A committee member of Cumann Forbartha - Na Dúchoraidh, Janice Ward said that the group have been approached about the issue which blocks entrances to farmers and landowners. 

She said: "To add insult to injury, a large pile has been left below a No Dumping sign. This area is at the entrance of Doochary Village in an area of outstanding beauty, it blocks entrances to farmers land and a number of landowners have contacted us."

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She said that the material would have been better used filling nearby 'massive potholes.'

"The material could have been used to fill these in and provide a better layby for traffic, and instead it has been dumped and wasted,” Ms Ward said.

Other residents said: “The piles of asphalt seem to be growing rather than lessening and it is an area which acts as an entrance into the village. It is unsightly and it has a negative impact on tourism and visitors to the area."

Volunteers with the village’s Tidy Towns committee are frustrated  as the dumping, they say, flies in the face of all the hard work of the new committee who have been engaging in helping to build on the beauty of the area.

“We are trying very hard to follow in the footsteps of the previous committee run by Manus Elliott and Bridie Bonnar who worked for many years to make the village the beautiful place it is, to visit and live in. The Village has been decimated with the loss of its post office, garda station, shop and our work is undone by the unsightly mess left on our doorstep, we ask that it be removed immediately,” the committee say.

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Those living in the area are supported by Councillors Noreen McGarvey and  Micheal Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig.

Cllr Micheal Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig said: "I have been raising this issue for many years and it’s unfortunate that its only recently, that Donegal County Council have begun to address this issue. It is only a small number of private contractors that are responsible and we ask that they cease and desist as they are negatively impacting the local environment and the beauty of the areas in which we live.”

Cllr Noreen McGarvey said: “ The illegal dumping of unused tar and asphalt has become a blight on the landscape particularly in west Donegal. Rural Communities who are working hard to maintain and promote their locality, can be faced with a mound of such material and no one taking responsibility for it. This issue has been raised at council level a number of times and the various departments in the council are working together to try and resolve this issue.”