Traders to get licences under new bylaws

New bylaws being drafted for Co Cork will confine casual traders to designated areas in villages and towns.

Licences will be required by every street trader and council officials, along with gardaí, will have greater powers to inspect market stalls.

Maps, defining the areas of business, have been created and operating outside a designated area will result in an on-the-spot fine.

The designated spaces are also designed to prevent any disruptions to traffic flows.

Applicants for a casual trading licence will pay an administrative fee of €10 and a charge for trading, at a rate to be determined by the local authority. Traders will be able to pay fees in advance or on the day of trading.

The council will also issue “special event licences” with applications necessary 30 days in advance. This will also apply to horse fairs, such as the annual Cahermee fair in Buttevant.

It will be an offence to bring unfit horses to such events and, furthermore, an offence not to provide the animal with water and feed on the day.

Council official Liz Donovan said the bylaws were “the first step in trying to manage what is a difficult issue”.

She said people who sell local produce would be exempt from applying for a licence.

Copies of the proposed bylaws are available by logging onto www.corkcoco.ie and people who want to make submissions on them have until December 16. Submissions should be made in writing to the Director of Corporate Services, Floor 14, County Hall Cork and the envelope should be marked “Submission on Draft Casual Trading Bylaws”.

Traders, meanwhile, will only be allowed to operate between 7am and 5pm, unless the council decides to grant a special permit to sell outside these hours.

They will not be able to start setting up their stalls until 6am, unless they have prior agreement from the council and will be prohibited from parking any vehicles in the trading bays overnight.

Traders will also be allocated a special bay to operate from within the designated casual trading area.

Those selling food or drink will be obliged to ensure they provide litter bins within the vicinity of the stall.

Gas cylinders used for cooking will be subject to checks by members of the fire service.

If trading bays are not occupied by a trader for six consecutive days within the period March to December the council can serve notice on the traders that it will reallocate the space to somebody else.

The proposed bylaws indicated the council can revoke licences with immediate effect if it considers the trader has committed a serious breach of it rules.

Council officials and gardaí will have the right to inspect licences and also to inspect what is being sold.

Serious offences — such as assault, threatening or abusive behaviour, illegal possession of drugs, offering for sale stolen, pirated or counterfeit goods — will result in the immediate revocation of a trader’s licence.

Minor offences, such as trading outside a designated bay, will be treated with an on-the-spot fine of €75. If fines are not paid within 14 days, the council will take the case to court.