BY DAVID FORSYTHE
STRONGER regulation of camper van and motorhome parking is needed in West Cork following several incidents of rubbish and waste being left behind at scenic locations across the region, a recent meeting of the West Cork Municipal district was told.
The issue was raised in a motion from Beara-based independent councillor Finbarr Harrington. The motion asked the Council to erect “no overnight parking of camper vans” signs on a number of locations throughout West Cork to include, but not limited to, Zetland pier, Adrigole, Cahermore pier; Garnish beach carpark, Kilmoe graveyard Barleycove, Galley Cove Crookhaven, Audley Cove Rossbrin and on the Sheep’s Head peninsula.’
‘We welcome all kinds of tourism in West Cork but there is an issue with some camper vans parking in hotspots overnight and leaving rubbish behind. In one incident a van had left off a waste tank at the side of a beach and a local farmer had to be called out to suck it up and clean the area. There are proper serviced sites for parking campers overnight and we need to discourage them from parking on public roads and at beaches,’ said Cllr Harrington.
Caroline Cronin (FG) said that more campsites were needed to cater for the increasing number of vans. She said that local people had been annoyed and upset by campers parking near the Kilmoe Graveyard in Barleycove.
‘People were intimidated and upset to find a party going on next to the graveyard. It’s not appropriate or acceptable at a graveyard,’ she said.
Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy (FF) said that perhaps Council staff should dress as ghosts to scare away the unwanted visitors at night.
Independent Ireland Cllr Danny Collins said that it was also an issue at Glengarriff pier. ‘Some people just don’t care. They should respect the area and leave it as they found it. There are a lot of places they can park and they should use them.’
Social Democrat Isobel Dowse said that campers were often blocking the few available parking places at Red Strand. She said more rubbish bins and designated spaces were needed.
In response to the motion Cork County Council said: ‘The tourism unit, economic development, enterprise and tourism directorate has developed a draft motorhome policy approved at tourism SPC level which is a review of the 2018 policy. It is intended to progress the adoption of this draft policy at full council by Q1 2025.
‘One of the actions identified has been the need to erect onsite code of conduct signage in conjunction with the relevant municipal district at appropriate locations where it is identified that unauthorised motorhome parking is an issue. The implementation of this action has already commenced and an update will be provided to members in due course. In the meantime, a code of conduct for motorhome users had been added to the Visit Cork section of Cork County Council website.’
