Killarney council criticised over dung on streets

KILLARNEY TOWN Council has not tackled the issue of horse dung on the town’s streets and walkways, one of its councillors told…

KILLARNEY TOWN Council has not tackled the issue of horse dung on the town’s streets and walkways, one of its councillors told the council’s monthly meeting on Monday night.

Independent councillor Niall O’Callaghan said the row between the Department of the Environment and jarveys over the fitting of dung-catching devices could not be allowed to continue.

The council had not publicly discussed the row and Mr O’Callaghan’s motion was the first discussion of the issue.

Mr O’Callaghan said the row could not be allowed to continue into the tourist season.

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“We’re waiting for everyone else to do our dirty work for us. We’re only two months away from the tourist season, but nothing has happened since the last season. Someone must sit down to try to find a resolution. We don’t want to see Muckross House blocked off coming into the season,” he said.

In a release posted on the department’s website over Christmas, detailed reasons are given why Killarney’s 45 “privileged” jarveys, who operate 66 cars along 15km of Killarney National Park, where Muckross House is located, can no longer be allowed operate without restriction. The park attracts one million visitors annually.

“As managers of the park, National Parks and Wildlife Service considers that the continuous unrestricted soiling of paths is no longer acceptable,” the statement said.

Health and safety, unsightliness, “the smell of dung” and complaints from visitors are among the reasons to stop the soiling.