Cllr Meade: 'It's a dark day for beach users as cars are banned from Bettystown Beach'

Fine Gael Councilor Paddy Meade says it was a "dark day" for beach users as the closure of beach from cars was voted through at a full meeting of Meath County Council this afternoon.

The notice of motion was voted through by 27 votes to three with two abstentions and 8 councillors absent.

Speaking at today's meeting, Cllr Meade said:

"I must say from the outset I am once again disappointed in fellow councillors to attempt once more to undermine our local district of Laytown-Bettystown, the Beach Management Plan we developed as well as our local community and tourism trade.

"While I didn’t fully agree with the Beach Plan it did propose the long term removal of beach parking when alternative and adequate parking was in place. Adequate parking is not yet in place and yet this motion is here before us to today.

"As there are businesses out there that need use of the beach and this motion today sadly does not take them into account."

Meade said both businesses and beach users have been seeing a negative effect a as result of the ban to date.

"The motion is clearly wrong when it uses words like “overwhelming success."

"Local man and wheel chair user John Watters before the closure went to the beach everyday, he bought good in Boshel's shop and he had dinner in Reddens/Neptune Hotel.

"Since the closure most days he cant get parking near the shop near the hotel or on the beach so I don’t think John Watters has seen any success.

"Macaris and Smiths have been long term good employers in Bettystown who both say a closure of the beach has led to a drop in trade and in turn a drop in employment in the area, now lets forget the business owners if that’s your mind set, but what do you say to the employees losing there jobs or losing hours of work? Will you tell them this is an overwhelming success?"

The local councillor pointed out that other nearby beaches seeing an increase in traffic causing issues in itself. He added:

" With the closure of the beach in Bettystown, Mornington Beach has seen more use than ever with many cars driving across and damaging the dunes.

"I find it sad that the debate that should be happening in our district is been pushed true by other parts of the county.

"Imagine if I had the say of the closure of Trim, Navan, Kells swimming pool or Ratoath Community Centre how would you go home and explain this to your constituents?

"There is a middle ground, there is options for compromise there is parking areas on Bettytown and Laytown beach that should and could easily be explored."