Tipperary councillors raise concerns over people using stones as barriers outside houses

Tipperary County Council has been urged to act against house owners who place stones or other barriers outside their perimeter of their houses.

Cllr Joe Hannigan told the June meeting of Nenagh District Council that such obstacles were dangerous and action needed to be taken.

He said that a vehicle could hit them and then go on and hit another vehicle on the opposite side of the road.

“This needs to be tackled head on,” he said. “I hope people will see this is just not on and is irresponsible.”

Cllr Hannigan was supported by Cllr Hughie McGrath who said that people should be encouraged to use plastic barriers that could be screwed into the roadway.

“They can be seen night or day and if you hit them they break,” he pointed out.

Cllr McGrath called for the council’s planning section to have a policy on placing barriers outside houses.

District manager Marcus O’Connor said the council was trying to remove obstacles if there were a particular issue with rocks being close to the road.

“We can say this is a hazard and could serve notice on the house owners or call them to get the issue resolved,” he said.

Boulders are not forgiving, unlike bollards,” he said.