COASTAL communities in Kerry are furiously opposed to proposed new Kerry County Council bye-laws to regulate harbours and piers.

Since a January meeting of the Local Authority, when county councillors voted to reopen the public consultation period, interest groups who may be affected have begun a campaign to oppose many of the proposals contained within the Bye-laws.

A meeting to discuss the proposed bye-laws was held in the Meadowlands Hotel in Tralee last week, where communities with eight of 16 affected piers were represented. A Facebook page 'County Kerry Harbour Bye-laws protest' has also been setup.

he affected are: Tarbert, Dromatoor, Scraggane, Brandon, Ballydavid, Ventry, Kells, Cahersiveen, Renard, Portmagee, Knightstown, Bunavalla, Oyster Bed, Tahilla, Kenmare and Killmackilogue, and seven mooring locations, Smerwick, Ventry, Knightstown, Portmagee, Derrynane, Sneem and Kells.

Many of the concerns centre on proposed exclusion zones, which if strictly implemented, would effectively ban people from swimming in and around the piers, and sections of adjacent beaches in, for example, Ballydavid and Brandon.

Concerns have also been expressed that sporting events such as regattas and triathlons may be adversely affected by the introduction of pier usage, parking and launch charges, while doubt has also been expressed that any of the Bye-laws would be enforceable.

Maunza Heidke of Cumann Ramhaíochta Chorca Dhuibhne described the bye-laws as a "step backwards".

"Do these bye-laws mean that every time you want to launch a boat you will be charged? It seems mad. Funding is a big issue for rowing clubs and if we are charged, that would be ludicrous altogether. To be charged to go out rowing it's like taking steps backwards rather than forwards," she said.

"All we're trying to do is get kids off the streets and give them something to do in the summer. We're trying to keep things going and ensure that naomhóg racing will continue to be there for future generations. It's a fright if it was lost over something like funding. They (KCC) don't seem to have thought this through at all," Ms Heidtke added.

Endurance swimmer Nuala Moore from Dingle, who regularly swims in seas off the Corca Dhuibhne coast said that, despite claims that the Bye-laws were largely unenforceable, a law was still a law and the proposals needed to be challenged.

"I don't accept that they are now saying that this draft is gone and there is a new one coming. The draft is still there and so it will be until every bye-law is objected to. Even if you say, 'they won't be enforcing it', it's still a law. Potentially someone has the possibility of enforcing it," Ms Moore said.

She added that the laws, as presented to the council, would have been introduced if people had not brought their concerns to councillors who voted to re-open the consultation process. She also reserved some criticism for councillors, whom she claimed should have kept communities abreast of the proposed bye-laws.

"The councillors did not bring this to us last year and did not lodge any objections. I think that is surprising, that they, from the point of view of the community, did not bring this to the people. Surely they would have lodged an objection. That is a very big question to be asked," she said.

Eamon Scanlon, Senior Executive Engineer with Kerry County Council, told The Kerryman this week that the bye-laws were proposed to penalise people who persistently behaved incorrectly at piers and harbours. He said however that, for the majority of law-abiding people, the status quo would remain and no charges of any kind would be imposed on them.

- BRENDAN MCCARTHY bmccarthy@kerryman.ie