Wexford County Council's ‘hands are tied' on funfairs organised on private lands
District Manager Philip Knight explained that Wexford County Council cannot do much to stop funfairs being organised on private lands and one of the only things they can do under the Events License is look at applicant's proposals for the different types of attractions.
Additionally, as long as the applicants submit their documentations including public liability and safety certificates, Mr Knight said, 'if all that's in order we really have no reason to refuse their application'.
He went on to say that he's aware of the concerns surrounding the funfair. However, it is on private land and it meets the criteria within the planning regulations so his 'hands are tied'.
In response, Cllr Darragh McDonald asked if a traffic management plan or security plan was in place. 'I've no issue with anyone who owns a piece of land doing whatever they want with it but the amount of people coming in and out of that and the facilities that are year round being impacted. I refuse to believe that there's any traffic management out there,' said Cllr McDonald.
Cllr McDonald then requested that the Council investigate what can be done to tackle these traffic issues and 'make this whole process a bit tighter'.
"It's not fair to year round members of local clubs and groups that their facilities are being damaged because there's not proper security on three nights of the year,' said Cllr McDonald.
Cllr Joe Sullivan shared Cllr McDonald's concerns in regards to the damage done to local facilities but didn't believe there were any laws in place to tackle these issues. Cllr Anthony Donohue subsequently chimed in, proposing that the Council introduce a Bye-Law.
Cllr Sullivan explained part of the issues regarding the laws, saying he previously 'poured through the laws on that and couldn't find the law to corner it'.
"Funfairs and circuses and things like that are in a certain area. It's not like organising a music festival or something like that. A funfair or circus, there's a prescribed number of days you can operate in a year,' said Cllr Sullivan.
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