Cork County Council issued seven fines for dog fouling offences in 2021, it has been revealed.

That is according to information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by Labour local area representative Peter Horgan.

The number of fines issued last year represents an increase on the number issued in 2020, when Cork County Council dished out two fines for dog fouling offences.

Five of the fines issued in 2021 have been paid while one has resulted in legal proceedings.

Information from Cork County Council revealed that three of the seven fines were issued for offences in Carrigaline, two were issued in East Cork, and another two were issued in the Bandon/Kinsale area.

One fine in the Carrigaline area is yet to be paid, while one in Bandon/Kinsale has resulted in legal proceedings in an attempt to secure payment.

Speaking to The Echo, Mr Horgan said that, while Cork County Council is performing better than its city counterpart on this issue, where just two fines were issued in 2021, more needs to be done to tackle dog fouling.

“While the figures are marginally better than the city, it shows that the issue of enforcement and hammering home the personal responsibility message needs to be beefed up,” he said.

“It’s clear that this needs national legislation oversight.

“Just talk to anyone with a buggy or in a wheelchair and the seriousness of this endemic will become clear,” he added.

A spokesperson for Cork County Council explained that Covid-19 restrictions may have had a “marginal impact” on the level of fining in 2020, when the local authority handed out just two fines for dog fouling offences.

However, the spokesperson added that the local authority dog warden service has remained active over the past two years.

“Covid restrictions may have had a marginal impact in 2020, although with the exception of a brief period at the outset of the pandemic, Cork County Council’s dog warden service remained equally active on the ground in both years,” he said.

“Dog fouling is by its nature difficult to prosecute as incidents must be directly witnessed by a dog warden or member of the public who is willing to subsequently give evidence in court.”