This article is from page 14 of the 2006-06-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
CLARE County Council’s summertime ban on dogs at beaches was being openly flouted within one hour of coming into force at the county’s most popular beach last Thursday.
Dog-owners face fines of up to €1,270 if found on the beach with their dog between 11am and 6pm each day as part of the beach bye-laws introduced across Clare’s beaches on June 1. The ban extends to dogs kept on the leash.
However, at sun-drenched Lahinch last Thursday, the council had yet to erect any signs informing people of the new bye-laws. There were no officials patrolling the beach in the early afternoon to catch anyone in breach of them.
Dog-owner Michael O’Halloran travelled from Clooney in east Clare on Thursday to bring his two labradors for a walk on the beach.
“I have bought two new leads for my two dogs today and I have been told that I can’t walk them on the beach.
“I think it is ridiculous. It doesn’t make any sense. I intend to bring them on the beach. It is a crazy law,” he said.
Carlow woman Evelyn Carroll was on Lahinch prom with her cocker spaniel, Wally.
“A total ban on dogs? What is the world coming to? Ah my God. A curfew? It’s lucky they don’t smoke. What next?” she asked.
Ms Carroll vowed that she would break the new bye-laws.
“It is a beautiful day. I’ll definitely be walking Wally on the beach. I love breaking rules, living on the edge.”
Unaccompanied dogs were also seen on Lahinch beach in the first hours of the ban.
However, the new council ban won the support of mothers of young children at Lahinch.
“I would be very much in favour. My two youngest are scared of dogs and it upsets them to see dogs bounding about.
“My children were building a sandcastle yesterday and a dog fouled nearby with the owner carrying on and he had to be asked to clean it up,” said mother-of-three Sophie Coughlan, on holidays from the UK.
“In the UK, people are very good about scooping, but dogs wouldn’t be banned on the beach.”
“I would be in favour of the new law because I would be very anxious when stray dogs come close to my children. It is not safe,” said mother Jane O’ Shea.
Opposed to the outright ban, Cllr Joe Carey (FG) said if Clare County Council enforced existing laws, there would be no need to introduce the dogs ban.
Cllr Carey said that it was open to the council to enforce the Control of Dogs Act 1986 and 1992 and the Litter Pollution Act 1997.
“There are old signs at Lahinch warning people that they face fines of up to €1,270 if they don’t have their dog on a lead on a beach.
“As far as I’m aware, no-one has ever been fined for having their dog off the lead in Lahinch.
“It is the responsible dog owner that is losing out.
“No-one wants to see any dog fouling or running loose and if the existing laws were enforced, there wouldn’t be the need for this new law which has the potential to damage Clare’s tourism industry if not handled properly.”
However, chair of the Council’s Environment Committee, Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind), said that those people flouting the law were doing all dog owners a dis-service.
“The council is introducing a softly-softly approach at the moment by making people aware of the new laws, but those that flout the laws will be fined.
“There is a silent majority in favour of the new dogs ban and they are hoping that it will be a success,” she said.
Cllr McCarthy said that signage relating to the new laws would be erected on Clare’s beaches at the weekend and that gardaí could now also be called if dog-owners persisted in taking their dogs onto the beach during the prohibited times.