Sewer vent pipes to be inspected

The council has been asked to inspect all sewer vent pipes after one such pipe collapsed, narrowly avoiding damage or injury.

The pipe has since been replaced, but Fianna Fáil’s Aiden Fitzpatrick expressed concern that there must be others “yellow and rusty” that could do with replacing.

The Bailieborough-Cootehill Municipal District area meeting, held online, heard that some pipes stand 30 foot high and are close to 70 years old.

Cllr Fitzpatrick said one at Church Street in Cootehill had been replaced.

Fellow party colleague Clifford Kelly said he was aware where a vent pipe had crumbled and fell. “It’s lucky it didn’t cause damage,” he told the meeting. He added that the pipe had since also been replaced.

Senior Area Engineer for the district, Alan Lyons, explained that the pipes were used to “vent vapours”.

He accepted that some were “old” and the situation had been mentioned to Irish Water, which had remit on such things.