Council to deal with rats 'immediately'

Kildare County Council is to take action on a rats infestation at Pinkeen Stream, which was highlighted on the Diary yesterday, writes Brian Byrne.

This follows direct representations by parents whose children use the nearby Community Playground, who have become increasingly concerned about the numbers of the vermin in and around the stream.

The county Environmental Health Officer visited the area yesterday, and later told one of the parents that it needed to be dealt with straight away.

"He told me it was a much worse situation than he initially thought," says Riggy Reid. "He said it was an infestation, and that they would address it. I'm to call them back next week to tell them how things have gone."

Pictured (top) is the stream itself, which has been an environmental issue since nearby estates were built over the last decade. Below a picture by local journalist Trish Whelan which shows one of the rats swimming in the stream.



"I saw several of the horrors swimming in the water," she reports. "They were huge."