What had been billed as "vandal-proof" street lights installed in a Waterford city housing estate last week have been destroyed after just four days in operation.
Four out of nine "vandal-proof" lights installed by the ESB and Waterford City Council in Lisduggan last week have been damaged by vandals.
Parts of the local authority estate had been in darkness for nearly a year after continuous attacks on the street lights.
The council then decided to invest in the new lighting system which was supposed to be harder to damage.
However, the council's director of roads and infrastructure, Mr Tom Mackey, yesterday expressed dismay at the determination of vandals to damage the new lights.
"They are vandal-proof in the sense that the little inspection door that you normally find down near the ground on ESB lighting poles is moved right up to the top. It is very difficult to get access to damage the lights, but we understand some youths managed to climb up the poles and put the lights out of action once again." Mr Mackey referred to the money the council spent to ensure that Lisduggan was well lit and said this could not continue without the support of the local community.
"We spent an awful lot of money in that area last year. We replaced a total of 59 lights at a cost of €25,000 and the nine vandal-proof lights cost €23,000. We have spent nearly €50,000 on lights in the area during the last 12 months.
"The council would hope that the community itself might in some way be able to help gardaí combat the vandalism," he said.
The city engineer also confirmed that ESB crews working in Lisduggan require Garda escorts. "The ESB crews have had difficulties in the past, and last week when we were doing the work, the gardaí arranged to be available if the ESB got into trouble at any stage. We succeeded in installing them but unfortunately since then the lights have been vandalised again."