Fears raised about winter rat infestation in housing estate in Tipperary

The resident of a Clonmel housing estate is worried about an infestation of rats in his home if a problem with rodents on land near his home isn’t dealt with soon.

The resident of Gort an Óir, Silversprings, near St Patrick’s Cemetery, says that approximately twenty nests of rats are located along the wall, which is on council land, at the rear of his home.

“If there are twenty nests, God knows how many rats are there,” he told The Nationalist.

He says that he first contacted the council about the problem almost two years ago, having purchased the house six months previously.

He claims that it took the council until February 2022 to cut back all the hedging outside his back wall and put down rat poison, but that the problem has worsened this year.

The resident, who doesn’t wish to be named, says that the council is required by law to keep the area clear.

“The weather is still warm but when it gets colder the rats will come into my house. Then it becomes my problem,” he says.

He’s worried that if that happens, the rats will nest in the insulation in his attic.

Tipperary County Council stated some weeks ago that it was investigating the matter, but the resident says that his request has been “going around in circles” between the council and the HSE.

He says he has found rat droppings in his garden shed and his neighbours, some of whom have children, have seen rats in their gardens during the day.

He says that one householder has a permanent bait box in their garden.

His neighbours have also found the rodents in their bins and in their back gardens.