Disruption in lakeside amenity areas

Nenagh councillors have criticised disruption and law breaking in lakeside amenity villages on the shores of Lough Derg during the recent spell of warm weather.

At the July meeting of the Nenagh Municipal District, Cllr John Carroll said a small number of people tried to ‘take over’ Dromineer by parking illegally, causing congestion and blocking passages vital for services in the event of an emergency.

He said access to the Yacht Club was virtually blocked off as a result of the illegal parking.

People brought large dogs that frightened children, forcing parents to leave and bring their children to amenity areas on other parts of the lake to enjoy the fine weather and the waterside.

Cllr Carroll said amenity areas where crowds flocked during warm summer weather needed to be properly policed at such times.

Cllr Joe Hannigan said very difficult situations could develop in lakeside villages when large crowds descended on them.

“The difficulty is that there is a small number of people who will just not play ball and think it's okay to park in wheelchair parking spaces and light fires. The message has to go out to people that they cannot do that,” he said.

Cllr Hannigan said byelaws introduced last year had gone some way to controlling issues, but still the gardaí had to be called to Dromineer during the recent hot spell. “We have to try to educate these people that, yes, you can come along and enjoy the amenity, but you have to respect other people,” he said.

BYELAWS BREACHED

Council Director Marcus O' Connor said the council had spent quite a lot of money and effort developing the lakeside amenities over the last number of years to attract visitors. “But you always get the few who go a bit too far,” he said.

The council had adopted byelaws to prevent overnight tenting and parking of caravans but in some areas these had recently being breached.

Mr O' Connor said there were four to five times over one weekend recently when the council found it necessary to act in Dromineer. It was deemed necessary to post traffic wardens to the village and gardaí, who proved to be extremely helpful in the situation, had issued spot fines to a number of individuals.

“The situation was handled reasonably well - and it could have been better,” conceded Mr O' Connor, who thanked the gardaí for the way they responded.