More than €5,000 damage done to bilingual road signage in the county
Criminal investigation gets underway
Donegal County Council (DCC) workers have identified around thirty bilingual signs that have been vandalised with spray paint, to date and estimate the cost of the damage in excess of €5,000.
The signs are located across the county and the defacement has been afoot since the start of August. In a statement, DCC outline the extensive size of the public road network, 6,450 kilometres, and say there are likely others (signs) yet to be encountered.
Work has begun in removing the graffitti in some Municipal Districts. It is estimated the overall cost on council resources to arrange removal of the graffitti is, at this point, in excess of €5,000.
The matter of the vandalism has been reported to the gardaí in different locations. Yesterday, the Cathaoirleach of the Glenties Municipal District, Anthony Molloy, called for all those responsible to be brought to justice.
He said the defacement of the signs was an act of destruction and vandalism. Independent Councillor Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig told media he applauds those responsible for bringing about a situation where the Irish language is being discussed and is central to debate. Speaking passionately about the Irish language, its history and the culture associated with it, Mr Mac Giolla Easbuig said the act is more than about the defacement of signs that it is about a campaign about the Irish language.
However, his colleague, Independent Councillor Michael Mc Clafferty vehemently disagrees. He believes the defacement of public property costs the taxpayer money that is difficult to find in the current economy.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil Councillor Anthony Molloy has said that spray painting signs is ‘downright vandalism.’ He said: “It is an act of vandalism. It is an act of criminalism. It is an act of destruction and you have Micheál Cholm condoning this. This is vandalism at the highest degree. This is damaging to our beautiful county.”
Cllr Molloy said he could not understand how a public representative could condone vandalism or criminal behaviour: “We have a democratic process and it is there it can be highlighted,” the native Irish speaker said.
Cllr Molloy said he was extremely proud of his county and his language and that rather than highlighting negatives we should be celebrating all that is right in the county. The Ardara-based politician said: “We should be talking about a success story but it’s all negative with Micheál Cholm. We are getting new signs for the Gaeltacht and they will be up soon. I cannot understand where he is coming from."
He described the work that has been done to date in the county; the Arranmore and Burtonport regeneration projects, the work on Errigal, the Crolly distillery and the road from Dungloe to Glenties. “We should be talking about success.”