No pet owner ever fined for breaching dogs on beach ban

The councillor behind the summer ban for dogs on city beaches has called for the restrictions to be year-round and extended to public parks except in cordoned-off areas.

Independent Councillor Colette Connolly believes the ban implemented on foot of her motion in 2008 is not working.

From May Day until the end of September, dog owners are liable for a fine of €1,904 and risk a jail term of up to three months for having their dogs on Salthill, Grattan Road, Ballyloughane and Silverstrand beaches between 9am and 8pm.

However, Galway City Council has admitted that not one single fine has been issued in the eight years the byelaw has been in place.

Cllr Connolly – who was co-opted to replace her sister on Catherine’s election to the Dáil as an Independent – said Irish people have a big issue with obeying laws in general.

“I walk the Prom every single day of my life from Shantalla and I see dogs swimming in the water all the time. It’s not right that dogs are swimming in the same water as humans. I remember a doctor wrote a letter into the paper once warning of the dangers of dog faeces . . . it’s treacherous for human health,” she exclaimed.

“I’m not anti-dog – it’s good for people to have dogs, it’s good for their mental health but there are awful dangers with them for the elderly, children and fragile people.”

Her original motion called for a complete ban on dogs on city beaches. In a compromise reached by the Environment Special Policy Committee, this was changed to four months – and only passed on the casting vote of the then mayor Niall Ó Brolcháin after the votes were tied.

“I would be in favour of a total ban all year round – you can’t argue it’s a health hazard and then allow it for eight months of the year,” she stated.

“It’s causing a lot of agro in parks with the sports clubs as well. I’d follow the example of what they do in Toronto, Canada where they cordon off areas of the parks to let dogs run around so they don’t go on the running tracks and not on the pitches.”

A spokesman for Galway City Council said there had been a serious problem with staff resources which had curtailed their ability to police the byelaw. There was one dog warden in the city who was busy running the upgraded pound for city and county strays as well as fewer community wardens who were more focused on an awareness campaign around dog fouling and keeping pooper scoopers stocked.

“We haven’t been in a position to fully enforce the dog control byelaws,” he admitted. “There has also been a difficulty in proving dog ownership. Now there is an obligation to microchip dogs since April, community wardens will soon be in a position to read chips.

“Dog fouling is a fairly serious issue for us in the Prom, in parks and all shared public spaces.”

Between October and April and after 8pm for the four banned months, dogs are permitted on the beach provided they are on a leash and “are not causing danger or nuisance”.