Councillors push for Curragh Plains to finally get protective status

Kildare County Council has been strongly urged to have the Curragh Plains protected in new legislation.

Cllr Tracey O’Dwyer called on the council to write to the Minister of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage asking him to make an order designating the Curragh Plains as a Natural Heritage Area under Section 16 (1) of the Wildlife Amendment Act, (2000).

At January's Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District Meeting, she also called on the Minister to begin the formal process of advancing its current designation from a Proposed Natural Heritage Area (p NHA) to a Natural Heritage Area (NHA).

Kildare County Council and the Department of Defence have jointly engaged the Paul Hogarth Company to deliver a Conservation Management Plan and an Interpretation Plan for the Curragh Plains which will include significant stakeholder engagement.

The council said the aim of this plan is to provide an understanding of the Curragh of Kildare, its setting, an assessment of the significance of the site, and how the Curragh is vulnerable or sensitive to change and to provide material for interpretation and education related to the Curragh and its setting in the wider landscape.

Mairéad Hunt, Senior Executive Officer, Public Realm, added: “There are a number of ways in which the Curragh’s conservation management and presentation could be improved.

Protection

“Such projects and others like them would help to protect this special landscape for future generations, whilst also facilitating divergence associated with its use.

“There is also major potential to improve the value of the Curragh as a resource to local people as a place for recreation and education.

“There is also considerable scope to elevate the Curragh to the status of a major visitor attraction that can generate significant economic return for surrounding towns and the region as a whole.

“Realising this potential will require sensitivity to the unique qualities of this special landscape, avoiding over development or commercialisation.

“It will also require an earnest commitment to collaboration with its diverse range of stakeholders, not least those who live in and work around this landscape.

"Kildare County Council and the Department of Defence said they are fully committed to the proper maintenance and presentation of these unique lands of national importance that are the Curragh Plains.

“In partnership, the Council and Department of Defence wish to address a series of issues and identify opportunities for improvements in these areas so that the regional, national and international significance of the Curragh can be safeguarded and harnessed to the benefit of all.

“It is respectfully suggested that this motion is premature until such time as both the Conservation Management Plan and the Interpretation Plan for the Curragh Plains are complete.”

Cllr Dwyer further emphasised the environmental value and the scientific uniqueness of the Curragh.

She said: “Plains are recognised worldwide, yet the Curragh Plains still have no legal protection.

“That is the central point of my motion — the essence of which has been missed.

“Any plans to protect the Curragh must prioritise the protection of its ecological value because that same value is linked to the wellbeing of the communities who enjoy it. In recent times the people of Kildare have witnessed an escalation of the harmful activities that are degrading the Curragh Plains’ value.

“Therefore, the site must be legally protected.

“NHA status would not preclude any activity currently allowed but would prevent activities that cause damage to its ecological and cultural status.

“We have all enjoyed the mental and wellbeing benefits that the Curragh Plains have to offer, particularly over the past few months, and its essential we put measures in place to protect the Curragh Plains for generations to come. Without the site being legally protected this is not guaranteed and for this reason I am asking that we write to the Minister requesting him to make an order designating the Curragh Plains as a Natural Heritage Area, as in my opinion any such designation from the Minister can only add value and support to a Conservation Management Plan — but I don’t believe we should have to wait until that plan is finished before writing to the Minister.

Cllr Mark Stafford stated that the management of the Curragh Plains was a long running issue addressed over several years.

He said it was a multi-faceted challenge with many stakeholders including the military, the horse racing community and farmers.

Cllr Fiona McLoughlin raised the issue of scrambler bikes, illegal dumping and other anti social behaviour on the Curragh Plains.

She called for more enforcement of regulations by the Department of Defence to protect the Curragh.

District manager Joe Boland said that the management of the Curragh Plains was a matter for the |Department of Defence.

He said the Council’s focus into the future would remain on preserving and developing the amenity for community, tourism and heritage benefits.