Protest over 'off limits' back gardens

Residents in Fr McCullen Park in Kells who are afraid to go into their back gardens because of dangerous trees overhanging the estate, protested outside a meeting of Kells Town Council on Monday night. The back lane at the rear of their houses has been closed for over a year and is to remain closed until work on a dangerous wall to the rear of houses on the Cavan Road is removed. However, residents say that while the lane is closed off, their back gardens are also in danger from trees overhanging both the lane and their back gardens. They also point out that the residents face a winter without home heating oil as oil delivery lorries cannot access their oil tanks. At Monday night's meeting of the council, members agreed to leave the issue in the hands of council officials who are currently working on the problem. Local resident Damien Dardis said it was a health and safety issue. "Trees are coming over the wall and the wall is about to collapse. The town council closed off the lane 12 months ago, but nothing has been done since." Patrick Lynch said people are afraid to go into their gardens. "If the trees fall down, they will fall into our gardens. Residents here have grandchildren that they cannot let play in their back gardens. God only know the hour when the trees will fall," he said. Another major problem facing the residents is access to their oil tanks. "Our oil tanks are at the back so the trucks cannot get round to them. The trucks wont come to the front of the houses either, because of an incident where a truck clipped a car when delivering oil some time ago," said Mr Lynch. Several residents have garages at the back of their houses, which they can no longer access. "It was a very harsh winter last year and none of us could put our cars into our garages," he pointed out. Residents were told earlier this year that the projected cost of the necessary works is €88,000 and the town council allocated €18,000 for this work in the budget adopted for this year. The council closed the lane last year as it was dangerous and residents were told the road would have to remain closed for health and safety reasons until the problem was resolved. A consultant employed by the council had recommended the removal of the existing structure and the building of a new wall at an estimated cost of €88,000.