Cork county councillors get stuck into 'dog poo battle'

However, while everybody accessing it has to come via Carrigaline and Ringaskiddy, the park is actually in control of Cobh Municipal District Council. It is essentially down to an old British designation of electoral areas.

Carrigaline-based Fine Gael councillor Jack White won unanimous support from his municipal colleagues to seek a joint meeting with Cobh colleagues “to discuss the ongoing littering and dog fouling issues at Haulbowline Park.” 

Mr White pointed out that Cobh's control seems “nonsensical” considering it doesn’t have land access to the site, unless council workers come there via the cross-river ferry, or drive all the way down on the main roads, via the Jack Lynch Tunnel.

“There are serious issues there. On a recent visit, I saw it myself and the place was a disgrace. There was a huge amount of dog fouling and a lot of litter,” Mr White said.

He claimed there are now no bins for either litter or dog poo on what is now the busiest amenity spot in South Cork.

“It’s not unreasonable as a developed European country to have bins. It’s a very basis provision,” Mr White said.

He said that the administration of the park had to be revisited because it wasn’t working.

“The bottom line is that the park should be in charge of the Carrigaline district,” Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McGrath said.

“It’s nonsensical having it attached to Cobh,” Fine Gael councillor Michael Paul Murtagh said.

Independent councillor Marcia D’Alton said she was surprised the bins were removed.

Ms D’Alton added they should put a submission into the National Boundary Commission, which is currently looking at redressing Dail/council and municipal district areas, and that body should definitely look at this anomaly.

However, she added it would be better in the meantime to talk to their counterparts in the Cobh Municipal District Council and seek an amicable solution to the issue.

Nicola Radley, the council’s senior executive officer in charge of the Carrigaline municipal area, said she “appreciates it’s an issue.” She said they will write to counterparts in Cobh and also contact dog wardens about the fouling issue at the island amenity.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley said dog fouling at Graball Bay beach, near Crosshaven, has reached “disgraceful” proportions, which she has witnessed herself.

“This is very disappointing. We need more enforcement (by dog wardens) there,” she added.