Most lakeshore visitors cooperate with wardens, councillors hear

A total of 17 fines were issued by local authority wardens over the summer as a strategy to enforce lakeshore by-laws was rolled out.

Members of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District were given details of the Summer Strategy 2025 for which €33,290 was invested in measures to preserve beauty spots in the area.

The meeting heard the goal of the strategy is to ensure the lakeshore by-laws are enacted to preserve natural beauty. The Environment Section engaged seasonal wardens to assist with the monitoring of the lakes.

The district wardens and the district operations team worked in collaboration with An Garda Síochána, the seasonal wardens and the National Parks and Wildlife Service to monitor the areas.

“We did regular social media posts to inform the public about the regulations. We also put in place signage along the lake shores,” Mary Goldsberry, senior executive officer, said in a presentation to the members. “Bins were collected on a daily basis by the operations team. Westmeath Sports Partnership and district staff worked together to provide and install a changing shelter to provide a comfortable changing experience.”

She told the elected members: “The summer season was busy, there’s no denying that, but the visitors enjoyed and praised the lake shores and the amenities we have.”

A total of 17 fines were issued for breaching by-laws: for illegal camping, fires, and dog fouling.

Ms Goldsberry said overall, visitors were cooperative: “They did adhere to the guidance of the seasonal wardens and the district wardens. Communications were ongoing during the season between the seasonal wardens, district wardens, the environment section, the municipal district administration teams and An Garda Síochána.”

The elected members heard that the local authority budget for the scheme is €33,290. Ms Goldsberry concluded by saying: “The lake shores will continue to be regularly monitored obviously by the district wardens and the operation team. And then we’ve increased the vigilance again for the summer of 2026.”

Cllr Aoife Davitt commended the efforts of the local authority: “The work has been absolutely phenomenal. It’s nice to see that we’re building on. Obviously we started at point zero and we’re working our way up along.”

Cllr Davitt made a recommendation about one aspect of the strategy: “The signs that have been put in place are beautiful, but they can be very small for people who are in cars to see. Would there be a possibility that we could make some of the signage a little bit larger and maybe over the bins?”Another suggestion was that an online portal could be set up to allow the public to notify when there were issues with the toilet facilities or bins at the lakeside locations.

Cllr Ken Glynn said the efforts were to be welcomed, but expressed the wish that next year there would be a focus on Tudenham. He said some of the wardens had unpleasant experiences: “There were some people who were fined on Friday, but were still there on Sunday. Those people have no intention of playing the fine.”

He said sites like Tudenham attract visitors 365 days a year and there is a need to have toilet facilities that reflect that. Cllr Glynn added: “If we need to strengthen the by-laws, then we should do so.”

Cllr Julie McCourt raised the issue of portable barbecues at the lake: “It is important that we continue to monitor people starting fires on the lakeshores, but it would be good if we could provide a facility where people could safely use portable barbecues.”

Noting this was the first year the strategy was implemented, Cllr Niall Gaffney said: “It’s really important we learn from it.”

Across the chamber, Cllr Andrew Duncan described the practice of camping on the lakeside during the summer as “a relatively new departure” and said there was a need for an “education element” to the approach of enforcing the by-laws.

“These are not bad people,” Cllr Duncan said. “I have spoken to them when I am out fishing. They are decent people and everyone is entitled to use the lake, but the regulations, which are in place for the benefit of all, have to be explained to the casual users, many of whom are only there for two weekends a year.”

Cllr David Jones said: “We don’t want to make people feel unwelcome. This is an amenity for everyone. I think an area that has to be looked at is that of providing adequate facilities to accommodate camper vans.”

Having noted the members’ comments, Ms Goldsbury told the councillors that more than half of the fines imposed have already been paid, and said the rest will be pursued by the local authority. She said at present the lakeshore toilets are open five months of the year and the signage issues raised would be examined.

In regard to the provision of camper van amenities, director of service, Deirdre Reilly, said: “If any private investor would like support to develop facilities for camper vans the local authority would be on hand to support them in any way possible.”