Seaside caravan park faces closure, needs funding

ENVIRONMENT Minister Dick Roche is to be asked to use his powers to ensure a controversial caravan park near a Kerry beach is kept open.

Kerry county manager Martin Riordan has warned that if the park, at Rossbeigh, is not upgraded to the necessary standard, it may have to close.

Operated by Kerry County Council, the park is in a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Mr Riordan said its design, facilities and layout fell far short of standards imposed by the council on private caravan parks.

It is located in the dune area on Rossbeigh’s back beach and consultants have suggested a number of alternative sites for a caravan park in the area.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service has told the council the park is not operated in accordance with the EU Habitats Directive and must be closed.

However, there is strong pressure to allow the park to continue, amid calls for significant investment in facilities to protect the environment and the fragile dune area.

Rossbeigh-based Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Cahill yesterday said he fully supported the campaign to retain the caravan park.

“Caravans have been coming to Rossbeigh since the 1950s. At one time, there were hundreds of caravans in the area, with some scattered around the dunes. But numbers have been limited in recent years,” he said.

“I believe the only practical solution is the develop the park, which has been in use for a very long time.

“This is the only suitable site. If there’s a move to other sites, you’re talking about major financial investment in screening and other developments and might be only creating more trouble.”

Mr Cahill said the council should honour a commitment, given in 2003, to invest up to €400,000 in developing the caravan park and putting in a proper sewage system.