This article is from page 13 of the 2006-07-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
NO-ONE has yet been issued with a fine for having their dog on any of Clare’s beaches during the day as Clare County Council yesterday lauded the public response to the dogs ban.
Since June 1 last, members of the public have faced on-the-spot fines of €125 if found walking their dogs — even those on a lead — on Clare’s beaches between 11am and 6pm.
The ban is to continue until the end of August and, in cases that go to court, individuals can face fines of up to €1,270.
According to a council spokeswoman, “The response has been very good. There has been no need to impose on-the-spot fines as no person has continued to flout the law.
As part of the council’s softly-softly approach in the early stages of the ban, the spokeswoman said that life-guards at the county’s beaches are advising people of the new bye-laws and people are obeying the new laws and leaving the beaches with their dogs.
She said, “We are very happy with the response to the bye-laws. The county’s dog warden, Frankie Coote, continues to enforce the existing laws relating to uncontrolled dogs.”
However, she warned that those that do flout the law will be fined and yesterday evening, on one of the hottest days of the years, a number of dogs were spotted on Lahinch beach prior to 6pm.
A review of the existing bye-laws is to take place at the end of the Summer and one of those opposed to the ban, Councillor Joe Carey (FG) has already said, “I look forward to the review of the laws and I would sympathise with people who are being seriously inconvenienced by the heavy-handed approach by the council.”
He added, “If the laws in place prior to the ban were being properly adhered to and enforced where people would be prosecuted for dogs running loose and allowing dogs to foul, there wouldn’t be a need for the new laws.”
The beaches to be included are Lahinch, Bishop’s Quarter, Spanish Point, Doolin and White Strand in north Clare. In west Clare, Seafield, White Strand (Doonbeg), Carrigaholt, Brews Bridge beach and lakeshore beaches including Ballyalla near Ennis, Mountshannon and Ballycuggeran beach near Killaloe.