Seems like pedestrians, drivers and business owners in areas where the Luas works are taking place are not the only ones disturbed by the development needed to build the Cross City tram line. Large numbers of rats are fleeing the construction sites, which is due to be completed in 2017, and moving to neighbouring houses and businesses.
Domhnall Sweeney, resident of Phibsborough, Dublin, reportedly has caught 20 of the infamous rodents since Christmas, when the project started. Some of those were the size of a “big rabbit or small dog”. He has received the support of Luas Cross City regarding pest control expenses in the eight visits he has needed from them so far.
A spokesman from Complete Pest Control, a company that’s been dealing with these rodents on the loose, stated that their activity has increased 200%, and they are receiving an unexpectedly high number of calls during this summer.
Areas such as Phibsborough, Grafton Street and Dawson Street are amongst the most affected.
According to Finan Gallagher, Environmental Health Officer, the flow of rats is not controlled adequately: the use of private companies to deal with the issue brings inconsistency, as not all will be up to standard. Besides that, it’s not only a matter of making them leave one place and go to another, but to keep a proper control on the population of rats as well as all other pests.