Ban on cars, unleashed dogs and horses on dunes approved for Bettystown beach

A total ban on dogs off leads, cars on the beach, Sulky racing and horses on the dunes has been voted in by The Bettystown and Laytown Municipal District Council at a meeting this morning. The proposed Beach Management Plan got the go-ahead by a five to one majority and will now have to be approved by the full council in March. 

News of the shock plans caused a divide in the seaside town and beyond last month and debate continues to rage with many dog lovers and business owners adamant that the move will ruin the Beach. 

 

The development was welcomed by Cllr Wayne Harding who commented,

"It is an excellent plan for all beach users and will be a positive step in improving the beach. There is huge support for the plan. I had to go to a meeting in Colaiste Na Hinse after the meeting in Duleek this morning and as I was driving along the strand road, I saw two dog owners with their dogs on leads walking on the beach so if it can be embraced by some, it can be embraced by all. This way, the beach can be there for everyone to enjoy. There are issues in it that not everyone agrees with but it is the best plan for all beach users." 

Cllr Harding says dogs off leads was a big issue when considering the plan but a huge amount of recommendations were welcomed in the plan that aims to improve the Laytown and Bettystown area.

 "We would have delayed that whole implementation process by not adopting the plan today. It was agreed to adopt the plan and to revisit the issue of dogs in the future. If because of that one issue we didn't adopt the plan today we would have adopted nothing even though there are a huge amount of recommendations that people really want to see implemented."

 

 

Meanwhile, Paddy Meade says it's a sad day for the area. 

"I was the only one to vote against the plan and I asked for the ban on cars on the beach be removed from the document. It's my belief that Bettystown Beach does so well and gets such great tourism because people can drive on to the beach. I was also against the ban on horses. 

"I find it hypocritical that the council who are so in favour of Laytown Races on one day of the year is trying to ban it on every other day of the year. To make changes would have meant going back a step and delaying the process but I pointed out that I would be happy to do that if it meant getting the right outcome. I believe the wrong decision was made today."

The ban on cars will be a phased process and may take some time to implement as the council will need to acquire land for alternative parking according to Cllr Meade.  

"This will have a huge impact on jobs in Bettystown. We are progressing with a bad plan. I knew I was on my own in relation to cars but there were a number of councillors who were quite animated about the issue of dogs and yet when they had the opportunity to go for an amendment they declined it." 

Sharon Tolan has made no secret of the fact that she strongly opposes the ban on dogs off leads and although she did vote in favour of the plan says there is still room for compromise. 

"After much discussion, it was agreed that we would adopt the plan as opposing it would have meant delaying the process and putting it back out on full public display and starting again. They are only recommendations at the moment and rather than holding up the entire plan for another year I felt it was important that we go ahead, adopt the plan and go ahead with driving a compromise.  

 I will still fight this issue because we have a huge amount of responsible dog owners who look after and clean up after their dogs on the beach and it's very unfair on them.  I do agree with a ban on dogs off leads during summer months in bathing areas. There can be compromises made with these issues. 

Changes to the current bylaws will need to go to full public consultation and that's a whole statutory process in itself so not all is lost."

What's your view? Please let us know. Contact Sally.Harding@meathchronicle.ie