NOXIOUS odours from a drain in Bandon affected a pre-Debs celebration and caused a staff member from a nearby business to become ill, it was claimed at a recent council meeting.

Cllr Gillian Coughlan (FF) raised the smelly issue at a meeting of the council’s Bandon Kinsale Municipal District.

‘There were over 200 youngsters on their way to a Debs from Dunmanway who met at Ray O’Mahony’s Bar on Emmet Row,’ she told the council meeting.

‘There was a dreadful smell coming from the drains outside and it’s a recurring problem which I have reported to Uisce Éireann time and time again.

‘I’m raising it at a public forum because I’m not getting a satisfactory answer from them. There is obviously a major problem with the pipes at that junction of Bandon Courthouse.’

She said it’s embarrassing for local businesses and told how a member of staff at a business nearby became unwell as a result of the malodours emanating from the drain.

Cllr Coughlan asked if the engineering staff at Cork County Council could engage with Uisce Éireann to find the source and solve the problem.

Cllr John Collins (Ind Ire) said he himself encountered the malodours while enjoying the festival fancy dress in that area.

‘It wasn’t very pleasant and it really needs to be looked into,’ he said.

Ray O’Mahony Sr of Ray O’Mahony’s Bar told The Southern Star that there have been issues with malodours from that particular drain for the past five or six years.

‘Last Sunday for example the weather was very hot and the smell coming from there was shocking,’ he said. ‘A solution has to be found to fix this.’

At the council meeting Cllr Coughlan also requested a report on how often the pipe at Baxter’s Bridge is supplying water to Clonakilty.

‘We can see how low our water supplies are in the town which is also due to the recent drought but I can’t see any major employer willing to set up in Bandon at the moment with the low levels of water supply in the town.’

She requested a report on how often that pipe has been activated since it was laid and how much water was drawn off the Bandon water.

Cllr Coughlan enquired about several tourist signs on approach roads into Bandon, which she said are there a long time and need an upgrade.

She also noted that they are not reflective of what’s on offer there.

‘At present we have signs at St Finbarr’s Place that are basically advertising Clonakilty. We have really great restaurants and shops here in Bandon and it should be Kinsale, Bandon and other areas of this municipal district on those signs,’ said Cllr Coughlan.

‘We should also approach the current business owners who may like to be advertised there. We should also contact our tourism section and have those upgrades.’

She welcomed the planned tourism heritage signs for the town but also raised the issue of the Heritage Centre in the town and looking at it role in the town.

‘Maybe we can engage more with the board there in order to bring that into activation for the coming five years. It’s about encouraging employment and promoting heritage in the town.’

Uisce Éireann has been contacted for comment.