Entrances to beaches and amenity areas need to be reviewed

A local councillor has sought a review of entrances to popular beaches and amenity areas across Sligo to be undertaken from a safety viewpoint and to examine what issues they might pose for people with a disability.

Cllr Rosaleen O’Grady told members she had been at Rosses Point during the summer with a small child and had struggled at high tide to exit the beach walking up the rock armour.

She said once the tide came in, the pathway that had been provided was not accessible.

In reply, the council said the beach/ amenity access that the council are currently focusing on is at the second beach in Rosses Point.

A high-level study to determine the potential of new longer-term access options to the second beach, which would not be influenced by high tides, was previously carried out in

Autumn 2021.

This study determined that any new options would be subject to planning, environmental (SAC), tidal, landowner, safety, and cost implications. Sligo County Council have prepared a brief for consultants to examine options and progress the preferred option through the design and planning process.

It is intended to go to tender for the procurement of these Consultants in Quarter four of 2022.

Cllr Donal Gilroy, while supporting the motion and report, said his one concern was that there were in fact too many signs at beaches and he wondered if people could see the wood from the trees at times because there were so many signs offering different advice and information/messages. Cllr Sineád Maguire, supporting the motion, mentioned issues with Dorin Strand which has become a very popular swimming beach.

The Cannonball supercar spectacle rolled into Sligo town on Saturday, September 10. The event has already raised €1,298,779 for Irish charities and organisers are hoping to reach €250,000 for The HOPE Foundation by the end of September. The rare super cars arrived into Sligo Town at 6pm on that Saturday for the second day’s finish line, welcomed by Sligo’s own Kian Egan, and departed on Sunday, September 11, from Rosses Point. Spectators in Sligo got up close and personal with 200 of the finest cars on the planet and enjoyed the unique festival atmosphere that Cannonball is renowned for.