National Tile Managing Director, Graham Purcell, has hit out at the local authority over their failure to listen to concerns regarding roadside trees, which, he says, are blocking his business premises and affecting his ability to trade. The owner of National Tile has been forced to take matters into his own hands to protect his business by flying a blimp over his premises advertising his company.
According to Graham, his company, which is located on the Coe’s Road, have even offered to pay to trim the trees but he has been told by Louth County Council officials that this will not be allowed.
“We have a number of issues with Louth County Council and we feel we are not getting any help from them despite the fact we pay close to €60,000 in rates to them annually. We have a massive pothole on the road outside our premises for months now, which is damaging vehicles.
“The grass verge on the main road beside our premises is regularly overgrown with litter and rubbish strewn all over the place. We highlighted this to the council last May and they told us that the verges of the roads had not been cut due to No Mow May. We waited until the middle of July but nothing was done and we ended up hiring a company at a cost of just over €900 to cut the grass on the bank and clean up the rubbish.
“My main issue however is the fact that our shop front is barely visible from the road due to the overgrown trees in front of our building. How are we expected to create revenue to pay for rates when our premises is blocked which is preventing us from picking up any passing trade. These trees are shedding leaves which are falling into our premises on top of our outside displays. Again we are spending money to clear up the leaves regularly and we feel as though we are getting zero help from our local authority,” stated Graham.
“We are in this building since 2003 and it is only over the last few years as the trees have matured that this has become an issue. We have offered to hire a tree surgeon ourselves to trim the trees back but we have been refused permission to do this. In my opinion this is an anti-business decision from an authority which claim to be all for supporting local businesses.
“Every state organisation always say that SME’s are the backbone of our country yet they are making it harder for us to do business with some of heir bureaucratic decisions. We are not asking for much here. We just want the grass verges to be kept reasonably tidy. We want our premises to maintain some degree of visibility from the road and we want to get a little something back from the substantial amount of rates we pay each year. Just sit down and talk to us and work with us to ensure we are on a level playing field with our competitors,” pleaded Graham.
The Dundalk Leader contacted Louth County Council and outlined National Tile’s concerns. A spokesperson for the Local Authority insisted they valued all local businesses including National Tile while outlining reasons why the trees have not been trimmed.
“Regarding the trimming of trees on the public verge near National Tile, the council must prioritise road safety and environmental considerations. Trees and vegetation on public verges serve as visual buffers, noise barriers, and important ecological habitats. In many cases, we cannot grant permission for businesses or individuals to trim these trees due to these broader public considerations. However, we do assess requests individually, with road safety as our primary focus, and are always open to discussing specific visibility concerns to identify safe and feasible options.
“It’s also important to note that each cut to a tree’s limbs creates an opportunity for pathogens to enter and cause issues like decay or disease. As a result, all pruning work undertaken by the council is limited to justifiable reasons, such as correcting defects, addressing health and safety concerns, or managing disease. These decisions are made with the aim of benefiting both the trees and the wider community.
“As part of our commitment to biodiversity and the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan (AIPP), Louth County Council runs several initiatives, including “No Mow May,” “Growing for Biodiversity,” and herbicide-free zones. These schemes involve reducing intensive grass cutting and herbicide use to support local biodiversity in various areas across the county. Grass in key areas has since been attended to, but if there are specific locations that require further maintenance, please let us know so we can assess the site and schedule any necessary work.
“We understand the impact that seasonal leaf fall can have on businesses. While it’s not typically feasible to conduct leaf-clearing on private property, our teams work to keep public spaces, verges, and roads as clear as possible. If we can assist in reducing excess leaf build-up in high-impact areas, we are open to reviewing our seasonal schedule to see if additional support is possible.
“Our teams repair over 1,000 potholes per month on average, prioritising repairs based on road safety, traffic volumes, and the severity of the issue. We will ensure that our roads team assesses the pothole near National Tile’s entrance to determine the best approach for repair.
“Finally, we greatly value National Tile and other local businesses as part of our community and economy. Louth County Council is committed to supporting our local businesses where possible to help create safe, accessible conditions. For any other queries, our customer service team is here to assist.” concluded the statement.
