Judge holds no truck with owner of abandoned lorry
By Ronan Judge
An Inis Mór man has been given a deadline of March to remove an ‘eyesore’ end-of-life lorry from the island.
At Cill Rónáin district court, Judge Brendan O'Reilly told Colm Devanney the "lorry was an eyesore in a beautiful spot" and he had been assured at the last court sitting that the vehicle would be removed.
However the judge said he had seen the vehicle on his way to court and after looking at photos supplied by the council, said to Mr Devanney, "Look at the cut of it. Can you not paint it or something?"
"It's an eyesore. Tourists come here to look at Dún Aonghasa and then they see this", the judge added.
Galway County Council sought an order under section 58 of the Waste Management Act 1996 compelling Mr Devanney to remove the lorry from a property at Kilronan.
Colm Devanney, who had addresses at Cill Rónáin, Inis Mór and Chapel Road, Kilronan, admitted ownership of the lorry and told the court he had arranged to sell it to a man in Corrandulla.
However he said he had so far been unable to have the vehicle transported back to the mainland.
Mr Devanney said he no longer has access to the site and has asked "every contractor on the island to remove it".
Judge O'Reilly noted the matter has been "going on since 2021" and granted the council's application for a Section 58 order. He told Mr Devanney he must give the landowner 48 hours’ notice of any planned removal of the lorry.
Judge O'Reilly said, "This is to be gone by March. Anything other than, and any excuses won't wash".
The court also heard Mr Devanney has fines totalling €5000, outstanding since 2018.
Solicitor Michael Cunningham told the court his client is of “very little means”.
"Neither the lorry or the debt had moved," Judge O'Reilly said, telling Mr Devanney. he would have to ‘get it paid soon’.
Mr Devanney told the court he wanted to get on a payment plan and start paying off the fine.
Judge O'Reilly said, "Try cash". The judge suggested to Mr Devanney the fine could be paid in three instalments.
"Make it five instalments", Mr Devanney said.
Judge O'Reilly replied, "The court only sits three times a year".
He continued, "The ball is very much in your court. It is up to you to produce and earn the court's good faith".
He told Mr Devanney the first payment is due in March 2026.
"Oh I thought it was today. Okay, we'll go for that", Mr Devanney replied.
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