A recent investigation by The Update Desk has revealed a staggering pest problem plaguing businesses across Northern Ireland. Data obtained through Freedom of Information requests shows that councils and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive have received over 66,000 pest-related reports since 2020, the vast majority concerning rats and mice.
The issue appears to be particularly severe in the town of Dungannon, County Tyrone, where local business owners are calling for urgent action. Phone shop owner Noel Stringer described seeing rats “the size of a small dog” near his premises, while local councillor Barry Monteith said the problem is “worse than ever” due to a filthy laneway known as Wilson’s Lane.
The laneway, which is a popular pedestrian thoroughfare, has become a hotspot for rodent activity due to its accumulation of pigeon excrement. Despite being designated as a public right of way, the responsibility for maintaining the area has been the subject of a planning dispute, with the private landowner Centum claiming “long-term disrepair” is to blame.
Centum said that “while redevelopment remains stalled, we will have to reconsider how the area is managed in the interim to protect the public interest and safety.” The Dungannon Traders’ Association has also called for the site to be “properly and successfully” developed, acknowledging that “delays to the development cannot be attributed solely to local concerns.”
The pest problem extends beyond Dungannon, with reports of increasing rat infestations in residential areas across Mid Ulster. Local UUP representative Ian Irwin said one resident had sent him “videos of a very large rat right outside her back door, and that’s very alarming and distressing.”
Councils across Northern Ireland have spent over £4 million dealing with pest issues, but most only provide advice to the public rather than offering a pest control service. Belfast City Council is the exception, providing a free service focused on rats and mice.
Mid Ulster District Council stated that while they are not legally required to provide pest control, their environmental health department works to address reported issues. However, with the private ownership of problem areas like Wilson’s Lane, the responsibility for resolving the crisis appears to be mired in bureaucracy, leaving local businesses and residents to bear the brunt of the plague of pests.
