Gardaí may take court proceedings after complaints

GARDAÍ in Killarney yesterday said they may take court proceedings arising from alleged complaints about a jarveys’ protest.

The nature of the complaints have not been divulged but reportedly relate to a continuing protest outside the entrance to Muckross House.

The tourist amenity is the main focal point for visitors to Killarney National Park.

Some visitors, it emerged, are not going into Muckross House because of their reluctance to pass a picket by jarveys at the gates.

Gardaí did not elaborate on the nature of the reports, but Inspector Barry O’Rourke said they were considering proceedings.

The jarveys have been protesting each day at the gates since they were locked out of the national park on October 14. The dispute centres on their refusal to attach dung catching devices to their vehicles.

Gardaí, meanwhile, are on duty at the gates each day.

Management at Muckross House, one of the country’s leading visitor attractions, said the dispute was having a serious impact on business.

Reporting a “noticeable drop” in business, management said they are determined to keep the shop and restaurant open but warned there could be implications for jobs if the dispute was not resolved soon.

It’s the second lock-out of jarveys from Killarney National Park this year on the controversial dung catcher issue.

At present, there is no sign of a resolution as the stand-off continues.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is adamant the jarveys will not be allowed access to the park unless they fit dung catchers to their traps and jaunting cars.

The jarveys say they will not do so for health and safety reasons, claiming the devices, also called horse nappies, could cause their horses to bolt or act unpredictably in other ways.

Meanwhile, Killarney-based Fine Gael senator Paul Coghlan called for an immediate, binding mediation process to ensure a satisfactory solution to the ongoing conflict.

“Only dialogue through mediation will bring about a resolution and the matter must be sorted, like all disputes, sooner or later, and I say ‘why not sooner?’” he said. “Valued jobs and tourism are at stake with this ongoing blockade which should be lifted immediately with mediation agreed.”