Council bans livestock from cable car

NEW weight restrictions on the country’s only cable car service will spell the end of sustainable farming on a scenic West Cork island.

That was the warning to Cork County Council last night from the nine livestock farmers who use the island’s cable car service to ferry their animals to and from Dursey Island, off the rugged Beara Peninsula.

“This is our lifeline,” said the farmer’s spokesman, Martin Sheehan.

“The cable car was installed in 1969 and was put there for the people of Dursey to carry provisions and livestock on and off the island.

“We always had a safe working load of 544kg. Any animal that we thought was overweight, we swam them across. We’ve had 42 years with an unblemished record. There has never been an accident. If the county council pushes this new reduced working load through, it will mean the end of sustainable farming on Dursey Island.”

There are nine holdings on Dursey Island with farmers raising about 60 suckler cows, which calve from February to April, and about 500 breeding ewes.

The farmers use the summer months to grass-rear the cows to between 300kg and 400kg for market.

The lamb markets run from mid-August to October and the cattle markets from the end of September to mid-November.

Mr Sheehan said that council officials brought in a reduced load restriction from September 1, closing the cable car to heavy animals, and warning that a complete ban on livestock was planned.

Mr Sheehan said he has been told that while the cable car can cope with a “static load” of 544kg, it can only cope with a dynamic load of 400kg.

In recent weeks, council officials have issued written directions to the cable car operators to limit the weight carried to 450kg, including a passenger.

“Any cattle or livestock under the weight restriction shall only be transported during normal working hours, at times agreed and under the supervision of Castletownbere Area Office,” the council said.

Mr Sheehan said this will cause immense difficulties for island farmers trying to get their livestock to Kenmare Mart on a Monday morning. “Sure the council knocks off at 4pm or 5pm on the Friday of a bank holiday and isn’t back until the following Tuesday morning. What are we supposed to do?”

The issue was discussed by the council’s Western Committee yesterday.

“These new regulations have really got the island farmers’ ire up. They feel like they are being cut off from the mainland,” said Cllr Jerry Sullivan.

But Mary Ryan, acting assistant county manager, said the council has no choice but to enforce the new restrictions. “The council will be putting in cameras to monitor the situation,” she said.

Once that is done, she said there may be some flexibility on the cable car’s hours of operation.

Council officials are prepared to meet the farmers to discuss the issues.

The cable car is the only suspension cable car in Ireland and Britain and was officially opened in 1969 by Jack Lynch.

A new car was installed in September 2009 followed by the installation of new steel suspension cables across the treacherous waters of Dursey Sound.