‘out of control’ | 

Dublin mum says she is afraid to go out at night as rats overrun flat complex

‘We’re putting out traps every single night and in the morning they are almost all full’

Yesterday at 17:36

A Dublin mum has called for urgent action after a plague of rats descended on her inner-city apartment complex.

Rebecca Boylan, a resident of St Michan’s House in Dublin 7, described how the problem, which had first reared its ugly head in March, had escalated in recent weeks to the extent that she now fears for the health of her children.

“I’m after washing the flat inside and out with Jays cleaning fluid because I’m afraid of the diseases the rats carry,” she told Sunday world.

“We’re putting out traps every single night and in the morning they are almost all full.

“It’s out of control. We need help.”

The 35-year-old mother of three said that after repeated calls to Dublin City Council a team had arrived this morning to carry out an inspection.

“We need pest control in here now,” Rebecca demanded.

“It’s got so bad that I’m afraid of leaving the flat at night.

“I go out in the evening to put out the traps but only when it is still light. I’m afraid to go out after dark as they rats are there, jumping at you.

“I was putting one out the other night under a car and the rat came out on top of me.”

According to Rebecca, after putting out traps on Sunday they were filled with the corpses of 23 rats by this morning.

“You want to have seen it on the Saturday,” she added.

“The traps weren’t out half an hour and they were jumping as they were getting caught, one after the other, bang, bang, bang.

“Every Tuesday, the bins in the complex get collected and a fellah puts the dead rats in a bin for me because I won’t pick them up. But those bins need to be washed and disinfected.”

Rebecca who lives on the ground floor of the complex, has three children living with her in the flat.

“I have teenager, a five-year-old and nine-month-old baby,” Rebecca added. “And the baby is not in the best of health, as it is.

“I’ve been living here 35 years and I’ve never seen anything like it,” she added.

“Our community is amazing” Rebecca stressed. “Our complex where we live is great. My neighbours are brilliant. But to get something done, we have to do it ourselves.

“It just takes too long for the council to come out and do anything.”

Dublin City Council has been asked for comment.