Youghal Town Council is to seek a delegate meeting with Cork County Council in regard to the ongoing obnoxious odours emanating from the county authority’s landfill site at Foxhole. February’s council meeting heard that despite a 90% reduction in waste intake since late last year, the obnoxious smells continue to plague the town.
Report Christy Parker/Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

An ambience of threadbare patience permeated the sitting with councillors vented their anger behalf of their constituents. Cllr Michael Beecher was particularly vociferous as he said “people are getting physically sick” from the stench that regularly wafts into their homes. The EPA must also be getting sick, he said, from the daily complaints being registered by both he and the townspeople. He said, caustically, it was “lovely” to hear a caller on a Cork radio station advising motorists to “wear a mask” when approaching Youghal.
Cllr Barbara Murray believed much of the waste is collected after up to two weeks stagnating and should properly be brought to an aerobic digester. She said it “is frightening” that the odours persist even though the site is currently processing only 10% of the volume previously accepted.

This reminder exacerbated the anger. “Its time to close the place,” demanded Cllr Beecher. “We’ve been two years talking about the problem and getting nowhere,” agreed Cllr Sandra McLellan.

Town Clerk Liam Ryan said Town Manager Patricia Power had done her level best to remedy the situation with her County Council employers and perhaps it was time to send a delegation instead. Ms Power believed assistant County Manager Ted Lucey, in charge of waste management, would be the appropriate recipient. It was agreed to set the wheels in motion.