Democratic Deficit for Dogs in Dun Laoghaire

What is going on in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council?

Citizens with respect for democracy are puzzled by the tactics being used by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council over the amendment of their Beach Bylaws in relation to dog leashing.  The Council were delighted, evidently, with the active response of so many people to their consultation process.  Altogether 589 people responded in writing to the proposed amendments, a much higher than usual degree of public engagement. 

However, they hit a spot of bother when only 16 of this number supported the reforms, some of them saying they did not go far enough.  This tiny group included the Seapoint Swimmers Association who wish to see dogs banned completely from Seapoint, Salthill and Sandycove all year round. They say, they are a danger to swimmers, to the elderly, and to children. Toxocara, an infection that affects 0.006% of the population a year, and dog attacks on beaches, two of which have been reported to DLR over the last three years (no injuries involved), were cited as the main dangers that dogs pose.

Of the remaining 573 who were critical of the DLR reforms, 220 specifically mentioned Dog Unleashed’s proposals as being fairer to all members of the community. It seemed particularly eccentric, many said, that the proposed bye-laws continued to insist that dogs be on a leash during daylight hours, all year round on a large beach like Killiney. On most days, given our less than brilliant weather, dog walkers are the only people on such beaches. At Seapoint and Sandycove, most agreed that restrictions were necessary so that people could be allowed to swim in peace.  In these locations Dogs Unleashed accepted that dogs must be kept on a lead, and at Sandycove banned altogether during summer months from 10am to 7pm .

Since the Dogs Unleashed proposals are fairly moderate, since they have over 4000 signatures behind their campaign, and given the overwhelming majority of support they received during the DLR consultation process, you might think that DLR would feel emboldened to follow the lead of public opinion.  But not a bit of it.  The public it seems were off-message, and the consultation process has now been extended, superseding the accepted procedure in a most undemocratic way. Lobby groups are being invited to attend a Special Consultation Committee so the Council can carefully weigh the demands of the Seapoint Swimmers, (a tiny minority) as well as the support of the County Manager (not a dog lover apparently) against  other users of the County’s beaches whom they are doing their best to banish.

The Council could have gained public support for this contentious issue by introducing bye-laws that have a logic that everyone understands, but this is looking increasingly unlikely.  The focus, says Dogs Unleashed Chairperson, Liz Neligan, should be on the issue that everyone is concerned about, which is irresponsible dog walkers who don’t pick up after their dog. ‘We are exerting pressure on dog walkers to be more responsible and already DLR staff tell us they can see a difference. Restrictive bye-laws that are divisive and hard to enforce are not the answer.  Beaches are for everyone,’ she says. ‘We are attending the Special Consultation Committee, of course we are, but we feel now that however reasonable our demands, they are falling on deaf ears.’