Councillors call for more parking and better amenities at Kerry's beaches
Lifeguards should be placed on duty on Kerry beaches earlier than scheduled and whenever there are prolonged periods of fine weather, a meeting of Kerry County Council has been told.
The meeting also heard of 'traffic chaos' at major beaches over the weekend and there were calls for parking facilities to be developed by the council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) at Inch which is part of the country's newest national park.
Kerry was awarded 15 Blue Flags for beaches and coastal amenities for 2025, the highest number in the country. It has seen crowds on beaches over the prolonged period of fine weather.
However, lifeguards traditionally do not come on duty until the first weekend in June. 'Not to have a lifeguard on duty is not where we want to be,' Fianna Fáil councillor Fionnán Fitzgerald said.
While he was well aware next April and May might have very different weather, periods of fine weather such as this should signal the need for lifeguards to be brought on, Mr Fitzgerald said.
The meeting also heard of 'chaotic scenes' with traffic at Inch Beach on the Dingle Peninsula over the weekend. The beach is the most popular in Kerry on social media tourist websites and is used all year round. It is is now part of the new Páirc Náisiunta na Mara.
'There was traffic chaos Saturday and Sunday,' Fine Gael councillor Tommy Griffin said.
Cars got stuck in the sand, a bus got stuck on the road, and locals in high viz jackets had to try to direct traffic and bring order to the scene. A number of vehicle were clamped.
During a medical emergency on Sunday at the beach volunteers from the local community council had to intervene.
The situation at Inch had been going on for years, Mr Griffin said.
I am calling on the NPWS to address the situation and designate a car park. There are thousands of acres on Inch beach.
'Were soft sand to be removed in early spring, that would have prevented a lot of the chaos,' Sinn Féin councillor Robert Brosnan said.
Meanwhile, Banna Beach near Tralee where facilities including access and amenities have been seriously downgraded, will finally get funding, Sinn Féin councillor Deirdre Ferris was told.
She had been seeking such funding for five years. Safe beach access and basic amenities such as benches on the promenade are long standing issues, she said.
Funding under the Outdoor Recreational Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) for the design and installation of Trail Head / Recreational Support Facilities at three Blue Flag beaches including Banna has been obtained, the council said.
Consultants have been appointed by Kerry County Council to undertake detailed design works and initial site surveys are currently being undertaken in Banna.
Subject to completion of detailed design, facilities at Banna will include cycle stands, accessible seating and a picnic area.
"The provision of these facilities will provide access-for-all and promote outdoor activities and water safety support,' the council told her in a written reply.
An additional access point to the beach at Banna will also be considered for future suitable funding submissions under the appropriate grant headings.
A draft plan is also being finalised for Inch Beach, also under ORIS funding, Mr Griffin was told.
Meanwhile the council's director of roads Frank Hartnett said a council traffic warden was on duty at Inch over the weekend. Otherwise the situation would have been much worse.
This article was funded by the Local Democracy Scheme.
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