THIS time last year we were in the thick of local elections and the race for Limerick’s first directly-elected mayor.
We never had it so good. Between live-streamed debates, mortifying political campaigns, and all the double-dealing and backstabbing our pages could carry — shur, we were spoiled rotten.
And while there may be treachery awaiting us in the wings down the road, for now, all is quiet and we are back to business as usual. The cogs of local democracy turn slowly and deliberately, but oh, it can be such a wearisome slog.
Sadly, it’s not all Shakespearean shenanigans down in Merchants Quay. Real work is done as well. Hard to believe, but yes, it’s true.
Right now with elections a distant memory, councillors busy themselves, like Santa’s little helpers, toiling away over the important issues to those who elected them onto Limerick City and County Council.
And if there’s one thing that seems to get the good people of Limerick more riled up than potholes, giant hogweed, and the lawless escapades of hormonal teens, it would probably have to be doggie doo doo.
Canine excrement has always been one of the burning issues of local governance as silly season approaches.
Nothing raises the ire of our Metropolitan District representatives like the fouling of footpaths and parks by pesky pooping poodles and dashing defecating dachshunds.
When they’re not looking for our number one on the ballot, this lot have nothing but number twos on the brain.
There was that time that bags of dog poo were decorating trees across the city like “Christmas baubles” due to the lack of dog waste bins.
“It is being hung on branches of trees along the canal like Christmas baubles. Bring your dog poo home,” former Labour councillor Conor Sheehan once famously pleaded in City Hall.
There was also the time two years ago when Fine Gael councillor Daniel Butler pointed the local authority to the dog bins overflowing with waste out in Dooradoyle. Not long after that, Labour councillor Joe Leddin called on the Council to increase the annual budget to €100,000 in an attempt to reduce incidences of dog fouling on public footpaths.
And again we see the foul matter raise its rear as Social Democrats councillor Shane Hickey-O’Mara decided to get in on the action, barking mad over mongrel muck at April’s Metropolitan meeting.
Throwing puppy dog eyes at members of the Council executive, Cllr Hickey O’Mara called for a citywide health campaign on dog fouling, yelping for additional signage with information on fines.
Dog poop, just like the truth, is out there, and Council management are sick to their back teeth hearing about it. Dog fouling awareness advertising runs on local radio, they told the young pup.
For those of you out there who haven’t the common decency to clean up after your manure spreading pets, the Council have now procured new dog fouling signage to help fight the faeces. That will surely put a stop to the thundering feculence.
