Spate of manhole cover thefts across north Louth

A spate of manhole cover thefts across north Louth recently, leading to fears for public safety, has prompted calls for safety measures to be taken, and public awareness of the issue to be raised.

The problem was raised at the Dundalk Municipal District November meeting by Dundalk-Carlingford's Cllr Antóin Watters, who told the meeting that a number of people in the area had contacted him about manhole covers going missing. Cllr Watters said that he understands that 25 to 30 manhole covers have gone missing from the Shelagh and Hackballscross areas, and the whole way out to Ravensdale, due to theft.

Cllr Waters added that it was an issue that had happened previously, and that on this occasion a man nearly fell into a manhole in Ravensdale as a result. The Sinn Féin councillor went on to say that those stealing the manhole covers are obviously going to a scrap merchants or something similar and getting money for them.

Acknowledging that it would not be possible to watch every manhole, Cllr Watters said that going down a dark road at night, someone could drive into them, and that “we don't want to see someone driving down the Castleblayney road and ending up in a manhole and someone getting badly hurt.”

Cllr Watters added that the issue happened a number of weeks ago in Ravensdale but “this seems to be more widespread throughout the whole north Louth area”, and enquired if it would be possible, when they are being replaced to perhaps do so with a heavy grade plastic.

Replying to Cllr Watters, Senior Engineer Paddy Connolly, said that they were fully aware of the issue and that they have asked that anyone who becomes aware of a missing manhole cover to please inform Louth County Council as soon as possible and it would replace them. He added that they can't replace them with plastic as they need to be of a certain standard for roadways.
Mr Connolly said that it was an ongoing issue and they have alerted An Garda Síochána in relation to it, further adding that there seems to have been a campaign of thefts of manhole covers across an area from Jonesboro to Feede and to Haynestown and Finnabair at the moment.