Harbour users plan protests on bylaws

Kerry County Council is to ban swimming near piers, introduce a fee for parking near beaches and charge for mooring small boats as part of controversial draft harbour bylaws.

The regulations, which the council insists are necessary for proper control as well as to address health and safety concerns, will apply to 16 harbours and piers.

These include the Gaeltacht areas of Brandon in north Kerry, as well as Ballydavid and Ventry on the Dingle peninsula. Among other areas affected are Kell’s Bay on the Iveragh Peninsula and Knightstown on Valentia Island.

If implemented in full, the bylaws would ban swimming near piers — with a maximum fine of almost €2,000 for those in breach.

Other restrictions proposed include a €1 per hour for parking cars and a charge of €300 a year for mooring boats.

Commercial photographers would also be subject to a levy to photograph or film within the harbour areas outlined.

Two “protest swims” in opposition to the County of Kerry Scheduled Harbour bylaws are to go ahead next weekend, one in Kell’s Bay, the other at Brandon pier.

Fishermen and tourism operators in Kerry have claimed the new regulations and extra charges would hinder their activities and endanger their livelihoods.

Celine Kavanagh, organiser of the protest swim in Kells, has called on people in other areas to “make their splash” against the proposals. She said she found it ironic that, at a time when the Government was running tourism campaigns to encourage people to “Jump into Ireland”, Kerry County Council should be trying to prevent visitors and locals from enjoying facilities around piers.

She also claimed the bylaws would make the holding of events such as triathlons impossible and could result in huge insurance costs.

However, Kerry County Council has pledged not to enforce the more draconian aspects the draft bylaws.

It has also agreed to delay plans to implement the new regulations pending a second process of public consultation after what it termed a “disappointing” response to its proposals.

Senior council engineer Eamon Scanlan said the intention was not to limit the enjoyment of leisure pursuits in coastal areas but to ensure good governance of harbours and to enhance safety for all users.

Objecting to the perception that the council was trying to kill tourism, Mr Scanlan said: “Kerry County Council will not be levying charges and will only implement them for improper use of facilities, such as blocking access.”

He said the council was also willing to take on board any suggestions from the public.

However, he insisted that the ban on swimmers diving off piers would be enforced, for safety reasons.