Calls for action made after fire at Mornington Beach

Fresh calls have been made for action to be taken to put measures in place to protect the dunes at Mornington Beach following yet another fire last week.

Fire crews were called to the scene last Monday night 23rd June to tackle the inferno that ravaged part of the beach that is a special area of conservation.

It follows a spate of incidents from last summer that saw a number of blazes break out destroying parts of the dunes.

Last July, revellers with up to 20 tents pitched up at the seaside village resulting in scorched dunes at Mornington and litter strewn in the reeds.

Beach visitors who overstayed their welcome lit fires, set off fireworks and left huge amounts of rubbish behind.

Last year Meath County Council also wrote to sports clubs in the area requesting them not to use the dunes for training as locals had reported an increase in this activity despite past calls for them not to desist.

Local Fine Gael Cllr Sharon Tolan says the lack of action from the National Parks and Wildlife Service who are responsible for this area is "frustrating."

She added "it re-emphaises the situation and the importance of us protecting that area. I was part of a working group in the National Parks and Wildlife Service on a comprehensive access and protection plan and it has been sitting on the shelf of National Parks and Wildlife now for two years."

"We agreed it, we went to public consultation, we had public meetings in the local schools to get the view of the public in relation to it but now our hands are tied and the local authority's hands are tied because the area is privately owned. The only people with jurisdiction is the National Parks and Wildlife"

"We are waiting to find out what they are going to do with them next. It's really frustrating. I'm a councillor 11 years and I couldn't count how many times the area has gone on fire."

"Our local sports groups have stopped using it for training which is great."

The plan includes an elevated board walk so that people with remain on the one track as well as restricting access for vehicles but locals are none the wiser as to when it will spring into action.

"It is home to wildlife, plants, when you go for a walk you can hear the birds nesting in the grass so it's horrific to think that this is what is being burnt, it quite literally is something's home, it's horrific to think how much is destroyed. I would appeal to people to please not light fires in this area."

A spokesperson for Mornington Tidy Towns said "we are devastated at the fire which damaged an area of the Mornington Dunes which are part of the SAC last week. We wish to thank the fire crews for their prompt response which contained the fire."

"It’s hard to reconcile this damage with the fact that Mornington received its Green Coast award and flag a few day’s previously. We ask all local residents to be on the look out for any potential activity that could result in a further fire and that all visitors comply with the Meath County Council bye-laws."