Hysteria greets announcements after local area council meeting

PEOPLE afraid to park on Bettystown beach in case they were clamped or arrested by roaming gardai, dogs not allowed to step foot on the sand and horses banned. Friday morning hysteria seemed to follow last week’s area council meeting in Duleek.

The Drogheda Independent was the only paper to attend last week’s meeting in Duleek and the facts are - nothing has changed, certainly in the short term, in relation to Bettystown beach.

We were contacted by concerned residents on Friday, many upset, fearing their beach had changed forever due to a vote on Thursday morning.

But that vote only progresses the Draft Beach Management Plan past the initial stage of becoming a draft working document.

A defeat last Thursday would have delayed the total project that is seeing up to €2m being invested in the area.

There are dozens of elements to it, including an improved entrance and exit, a changing area, toilets and a lifeguard tower - but natually some aspects always attract more debate than others.

For instance - banning cars from the beach. As part of the beach plan an environmental impact study - an EU habitats directive - had to take place and it recommends removing cars from the beach.

That is a long term aim - and can’t come into play until a new car park close to the beach is developed. It remains to be seen how that will happen and when.

Banning dogs and horses from the beach. The issue here is mainly on the Laytown end of the beach where wintering birds are impacted. The study says that dogs should be on a lead from Sept-March in the Nanny area. That is the minimum requirement. Horses meanwhile should be restricted from Sept-March on the shoreline - that is also the minimum requirement.

What happens now? - The proposals must go to a full council meeting and then the bylaw changes must go out for public consultation for people to have their say.

So keep walking the dog, riding the horse and parking on the beach and enjoying the view. This has a bit to run yet.

Bettystown beach, a perfect place for a walk - but issues remain over dogs on leads, horses and car parking.

This is the pretty ironic scene on Bettystown beach last week when Drogheda Coastguard were called out to answer a call when a car became caught in the rising tide.