Dog park in Carrigaline to be considered

The feasibility of including a designated area which would allow dog owners to leave their pets off the leash to run and play is to be considered by officials of the Carrigaline Municipal District Council.

The proposal of Fine Gael councillor Úna McCarthy came as a result of numerous people contacting her about the creation of such a space, she told her fellow councillors.

“It involves a fully fenced and gated area where dog owners can safely allow their dogs to run and play off lead and would greatly benefit many of the dog owners in our area,” she said.

“A suitable site for this project has been identified behind the duck pond in the community park and this area could be developed into a safe, dedicated dog park,” she said, adding that she was engaged with the local Tidy Towns group who were enthusiastic about planting around the perimeter of the fence to enhance biodiversity.

“The dog park in Ballincollig Regional Park has proven very successful and I’ve been informed by Carrigaline residents that some people are travelling to Ballincollig just to use this facility.

“So it is clear that a similar amenity is needed in our district to cater for the growing demand.”

Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley, who previously called for the establishment of a pet cemetery, said that the establishment of a dog park would also facilitate social gatherings.

“I met a lot of my friends from when I lived in America — I’m still friends with them — and I know them through the dog park in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco,” she said.

Fine Gael councillor Jack White described the proposal as a “very good suggestion” which had come up over the years and said that a previous dog owner in the town had set up a page on social media dedicated to the campaign.

“As a dog owner myself, I’d only love to have a place to bring my dog and let him loose and socialise,” said Mr White.

Ben Dalton O’Sullivan, who was elected to the position of chairman of Carrigaline Municipal District at the beginning of the meeting to fill the vacancy left by the departure of Seamus McGrath for Dáil Éireann, said that he also supported the proposal by Ms McCarthy.

Council official Maurice Murphy said the Fine Gael councillor’s proposal would be looked at in the overall context of an ongoing examination of the possibility of increasing public amenities in the town.