Public able to apply for jarvey licences in Killarney

Calls to ringfence the licence for family members were rejected recently at a municipal area meeting.

The number of jarvey licences in the tourist town is limited to 37 due to traffic and other constraints.

Additional licences are available for the Muckross area but are under the remit of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Now, two of the 37 licences will be up for grabs because of retirements. Senior engineers said the licences could not be handed on to sons and daughters and would have to be returned to the council.

Applicants’ names can no longer be drawn by lottery from a local waiting list because of competition law, a spokesman said.

A motion by Councillor Maura Healy-Rae called for the licences to be transferred to sons, daughters, or “direct family members”.

“This is a family business. You must know about horses. There is already a list as long as your arm waiting for licences and if this is advertised, there will be huge numbers going for the licence from all over the country,” she said.

Her motion was rejected as council bye-laws state the licence is not transferable.

However, the move is on hold due to an issue over wording in the notices inviting applicants.