Claims Killarney boat men intimidated

A Killarney boat owner and his skipper, summonsed for passenger overloading at the peak of the season in 2014, said there was a climate of “intimidation” on the lakes between rival operators.

The Killarney boats were licensed to carry 12 passengers. However, on July 8, 2014, one of the five boats belonging to Tadhg O’Connor, of High St, Killarney, was found by a conservation ranger to have 15 on board when it arrived at Reen Pier at Ross Castle at about 3.30pm, Killarney District Court heard on Tuesday.

The prosecution for over-loading was taken by the Department of Transport, under the Merchant Shipping and Maritime Safety Acts, but a second authority, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, were a second permit authority on the lakes and policed the boats, the court was told. There was a lot of legal wrangling over licences on the Killarney lakes, the court was told also as licensing was being opened up to tender.