Environmental campaigners raise objection to parking at Muckross House

Objections have been raised to halt the expansion of facilities at a one of Kerry’s most popular tourist attractions.

An appeal has been lodged with An Bord Pleanála against plans by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide extra parking for cars and buses at Muckross House in Killarney.

Two environmental campaigners, Peter Sweetman and Michael Horgan, are opposing the development. They are challenging the recent decision of Kerry County Council to grant planning permission for an extension of the existing bus parking area and overflow car park at Muckross. The development also involves the removal and relocation of some landscaping trees.

In his appeal, Mr Sweetman cites a previous High Court ruling in an action he took against An Bord Pleanála and claims that the documents submitted by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht are not “capable of removing all reasonable scientific doubt as to the effects of the works proposed on the protected site concerned”.

Michael Horgan, who runs a fishing conservation and protection association, the Lakes and Rivers of Kerry, claims the State is trying to concrete over “prime gazing land for wild animals” which was in a Special Area of Conservation covering Killarney National Park and the Macguillycuddy Reeks.

It looks like it’s tourists versus the deer population,” Mr Horgan said.

He also questioned the need for the extension of parking spaces, claiming that tourist buses were only using the area for four months of the year.

The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht said an appropriate assessment carried out indicated the development would have no significant impact on the Natura 2000 site.

It claimed no environmental impact statement was required and it was “not considered likely to have any significant effects on the environment”.

Muckross House and Gardens is the ninth most popular, fee-charging tourist attraction in the Republic with almost 553,000 visitors last year.