Online opposition to Fanore car park barrier

A TWO-metre-high barrier in North Clare, has become the subject of an internet campaign to have it removed.

Clare County Council erected the barrier at the entrance to Fanore beach car park last Wednesday. The following day, an article on the website localsurf.ie urged people to contact local councillors in the area to voice their opposition. It published Clare County Council’s webpage outlining the contact details of councillors in the Ennistymon Electoral Area.
By all accounts, there was quite a response.
Fine Gael Councillor Martin Conway, whose name appears first on the contact page, received in excess of 200 emails in less than five days from people angry about the new barrier.
At the time of going to press, an online petition had almost the same number of signatures endorsing the removal of the barrier at the beach.
There is even a page on social networking site Facebook, dedicated to “people who love Fanore Beach and would like to have a say in how it is managed and protected for all users and future generations”.
Fanore businessman David Kelly is one of those opposed to the barrier.
“How could the height restriction of barriers stop people going in camping in tents, or littering or lighting fires? This doesn’t solve anything; it just aggravates a lot people,” he said.
“The lack of consultation has got people angry, furious really. One idea is for a local group to take over the trusteeship of the beach. Let us try to look after it and keep the litter out. The point is we don’t have the solution but we are inviting the council to take part in an online discussion on the topic. People are willing to take part in this conversation and the council aren’t willing. Despite the flurry of interest in this, the council just keep sending out the party line,” Mr Kelly stated.
The Clare County Council North Clare Area office says it has received numerous complaints from locals and visitors to the area regarding anti-social behaviour at Fanore beach and this is why the barrier was erected.
“This [anti-social behaviour] consisted of people coming to Fanore for the weekend and illegally parking overnight at the car park. Such incidents have resulted in damage to the dunes, which are part of a Special Area of Conservation and damage to rare local flora and fauna. Lighting fires, littering, vandalism to the public toilets and viewing area are a regular occurrence,” James Barry, senior staff officer in the Ennistymon Area Office stated in a letter to some of those objecting to the barrier.
“The council’s environmental patrol warden has been inundated with complaints and has visited this beach on more Monday mornings than any other location under his jurisdiction in North Clare.
“This has resulted in clean-ups, by voluntary local people, involving glass, cans, bottles and all of the party utensils being removed from Fanore beach, very regularly. Locals have complained to the gardaí of parties and loud noise, including ghetto blasters being played all night,” he went on.
According to Mr Barry, the council has a duty to address the issue of illegal parking at one of its sites and the barrier was erected in order to fulfil this responsibility.
“There will be people inconvenienced and this is regrettable, since the reason for the barrier is to try and curb behaviour which, for a large part is not caused by responsible people,” he acknowledged.
The council confirmed that it has provided keys to the barrier to a number of interested parties, including members of emergency services and has assured those concerned about tourism that regular bus visitors to Fanore will be facilitated with regard to access to the car park.
Local gardaí agree that anti-social behaviour is a problem at a number of beaches in North Clare.
“We are asking people not to park illegally and we would ask people to show more consideration for people living in the area and for the environment, and to only camp in designated areas,” Garda Superintendent Declan Mulcahy said.
While the barrier has attracted criticism, some local business people are in favour of the barrier.
Mick O’Toole, who runs the local post office, believes the council must have put the barrier up for a reason.
“It is very sad for people who have to clean the beach and the dunes and car park and the people who are against this barrier aren’t talking to them,” he said.
The barrier was also tackled at Monday’s meeting of the North Clare Electoral Area councillors.
Ruan councillor Joe Arkins was keen to point out that “there are a lot of people who own camper vans who are very responsible and do not park overnight in a place where they are not welcome.”
Councillor Martin Conway spoke of what he called “an unprecedented level of opposition” to the barrier but accepted that there is a problem and urged the council to consider alternative ways of dealing with it.
The acting senior executive engineer Stephen Lahiffe gave assurances that the council would look into alternatives to the barrier.