Cooley councillor raises concerns over Turf Road after spate of sheep rustling

Antoin Watters: 'When life gets hectic it is important to remember the special people in your life'

placeholder image — Antoin Watters: 'When life gets hectic it is important to remember the special people in your life'

A local councillor has raised concerns about the Turf Road in Cooley remaining open at night, saying that the road is being used to rustle sheep from local farmers.

Sinn Féin Cllr Antóin Watters raised his concerns at the November meeting of Louth County Council, querying what could be done by the council to tackle the recent rustlings, which he said had seen between 60 and 70 sheep stolen.

Speaking during the meeting, Cllr Watters said that all of the rustlings had been to do with the Turf Road and asked council staff if there were any provisions to close off the road during specific times of day.

He suggested that gates with keypad locks be installed at junctions be installed and then closed in the evening, adding that they would remain openable by emergency services.

In response, Louth County Council Chief Executive, Joan Martin said that the only possible action the council could take on the matter would be to abandon the road, and that Cllr Watters would need to propose a motion to do this.

The Chief Executive also added that it was not the responsibility of the council to tackle issues around sheep rustling and that the road was an important access route over the Cooley mountains.