BANK OF IRELAND has donated €10,000 to a wildlife rehabilitation charity in Kildare following a “really heavy” oil spill at a park in south Dublin last week.

Kildare Wildlife Rescue (KWR) said the incident in Kilbogget Park near Cabinteely in south Dublin last Wednesday was one of the worst oil pollution incidents it had attended.

The charity described it as a “really heavy” oil spill and it removed four cygnets and two adult swans from Kilbogget Park.

The family of swans continues to be cared for by KWR, however, one of the cygnets died over the weekend.

KWR said it has been informed by Bank of Ireland that the source of the oil spill was a spillage during a delivery of diesel to its nearby data centre.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said last week booms and pads have been installed to absorb the pollution.

“Swans were removed with the help of local (council) staff, Kildare Wildlife Rescue and volunteers and are currently in the care of Kildare Wildlife Rescue,” it added.

A spokesman for Bank of Ireland said at the time that it has engaged with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and the Environmental Protection Agency in relation to the oil spill and it “sincerely apologised to the local community”.

“Action was immediately taken to contain the incident, and no further pollution has been identified,” said the spokesperson, who added that Bank of Ireland would continue to “fully engage” with authorities over the coming period.

In a statement today, KWR welcomed the €10,000 donation from Bank Of Ireland.

On Monday afternoon, the charity said it was contacted by Bank Of Ireland with an offer of a donation of €10,000.

KWR founder and manager Dan Donoher said the charity was “very grateful for the donation”.

It will go towards the costs of the rescue and rehabilitation of the swan family, along with the hundreds of other animals cared for at KWR’s wildlife hospital.

He added: “Rehabilitating oiled birds is a complex process which involves numerous steps including building up strength before the stressful process of washing can begin.

“Unfortunately one of the cygnets from Kilbogget Park was badly affected and did not make it but we continue to care for the rest of their family and are hoping for a full recovery.”

Meanwhile, Donoher said the centre relies “almost entirely on donations from the public to carry out its work, which last year responded to over 8,800 cases of wildlife in distress”

“We continue to appeal to companies and the public to help us in our ongoing fundraising efforts and we are always in need of volunteers,” he added.

Donoher said KWR is continuing to monitor remaining wildlife at Kilbogget Park and at the location of another recent oil spill in Kilminchy in Portlaoise from where another swan family had to be taken into care.

Unsure of what exactly is happening with the earth’s climate? Check out our FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online.