By Olivia Kelleher
Residents near University College Cork (UCC) who endured a summer of 'Covid House parties' have expressed disgust after the fire brigade was called to a rental in the area where instead of a blaze they found a large party complete with a smoke machine.
Fireman had to force their way into the rented property on Connacht Avenue near UCC shortly after midnight on Sunday.
Gardaí in the area had spotted smoke coming from a house that had the windows blocked out with plastic bags and a large tarpauline covering the back of the property where a large group of people had gathered for the party.
A smoke machine was in use which was emitting plumes of smoke which had been mistaken for the first signs of a fire.
It is understood that the property is being rented out to adults and did not contain students.
Catherine Clancy, of the Magazine Road Residents Association, (MRRA) says that urgent legislation is needed to make landlords accountable for such parties.
"The fire brigade had to break down the door. These houses aren't being managed at all.
"During the summer months we kept records of the parties in the area. From the end of May to the start of June there were 215 incidences of house parties recorded by the association. 77 (rented) houses make up those figures. There was 17 reports of parties in one house.
"This is an epidemic. We need legislation to deal with this behaviour," she said.
Cllr Clancy, who is a former Lord Mayor of Cork, is urging the Taoiseach Micheál Martin to address the issue as a matter of urgency.
Meanwhile, residents are pleading with landlords to include "No house parties" in the letting agreement for student houses as the new college year draws near.
MRRA is also calling on landlords to ensure that their tenants comply with the current Government guidelines on Covid-19 which states that no more than six people can visit a house.
Cllr Clancy, who is chairperson of the MRRA, said that they are not prepared to put up with a winter of anti social behaviour near the college.
"These house parties risk the spread of Covid-19 in our community and we need to ensure residents and students can share this area without feeling anxious.”
"We also call on the Government to move on legislation to put an end to the Covid-19 house parties to deal with the reckless landlords and tenants who ignore the Covid-19 regulators and are non-compliant. People’s lives are at risk if we do not play by the rules.”
Earlier this summer, residents Mairéad O'Callaghan and Sadie O'Mahony took a successful private prosecution against a landlord following anti social behaviour and noise at student properties.
