A FERMANAGH and Omagh district councillor has warned that the council has placed itself in an “indefensible position” by agreeing to a “shock tactic” dog fouling campaign in which its officers will be instructed not to pick up excrement.
The campaign is part of an initiative to address litter, fly-tipping and dog fouling, all of which are on the rise across the district.
Under the scheme, areas which are susceptible to high incidences of dog foul infringements will be identified and referred to as ‘Hot Spots’. 
Two areas, Omagh and Enniskillen, will be identified as a trial to be targeted with a similar initiative as successfully undertaken by other councils in Northern Ireland.
There are three phases to the approach: the month before the campaign council will advertise the initiative and count the incidents of dog foul; in the campaign month, officers will survey and chalk spray dog foul, record count and clean the excrement a week later. This will be repeated throughout the month; the month after the campaign enforcement patrols will take place and officers will record count for review.
The hotspot areas in Fermanagh have been identified as the Lakeland Forum, Derrychara, Lisgoole Estate and Drumbeg Estate.
The proposal was agreed to during April’s Environmental Services Committee meeting.
But at the monthly council meeting on Tuesday night, independent councillor Dr Josephine Deehan said the campaign was a “very significant public health risk”.
“I do know people who have sustained blindness of the eye due to dog excrement having entered the eye,” she said, “As a council if we identify a hazard but do nothing to minimise that hazard we really find ourselves on an indefensible position.
“I would urge caution on this particular matter, whatever about the shock tactics. I do want to minimise dog fouling , but we just have to be cognisant of the risk we are taking. Quite honestly I don’t appreciate the risks.”
UUP councillor, Chris Smyth had already voiced his concerns for the campaign during the committee meeting but at Tuesday night’s meeting he said he had resigned himself to the fact that: “I don’t think there is any point referring this back.”
“I do feel deeply uncomfortable about this though,” he added.
Sinn Fein member, Martin McColgan said it was not a case of the council being “negligent or foolish”.
“This [campaign] will show the actual problem and how much it would accumulate in a week or so. It might make dog owners take responsibility. It is going to take some kind of shock tactic to change things.
Director of Environment and Place, Kevin O’Gara told members the council had not considered the campaign lightly.
“We looked all around for best practice and this is one of the examples which has proved successful in other areas.
“If we keep doing what we have done before it is unlikely that we are going to make any quantum change. I wouldn’t say we are ignoring the situation, we are trying to make it better. We are really trying to change attitudes.”
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein councillor, Barry Doherty advised members of a vermin issue at the former Unipork site.
“Generally the way it is being kept is creating big problems,” he said.
“I have been shown a video and there are very serious vermin problems there.
“I would like to make a proposal that we liaise with the current owners of that site as this is becoming a very serious situation,” he said.
All members were in agreement.