Marauding horses 'have a Kildare community under siege'
Marauding horses have a County Kildare community under siege.
That's according to a local politician who says the horses have caused considerable distress to residents and members of a local sports club.
Cllr Carmel Kelly wants Kildare County Council to reinstate or upgrade the fencing at the River Liffey end of Castlesize estate, Sallins “as a matter of urgency.”
She told a Naas Municipal District meeting that the existing fencing had been “broken through yet again by horses.”
Cllr Kelly said she was upset by a KCC response suggesting she contact the council’s tenant liaison officer.
In a report to the meeting, KCC official Simon Wallace also said the location will be assessed to see what works are required and any works necessary “will have to be costed and scheduled within the extensive list of works and commitments being undertaken by the council.”
He said it would be beneficial “if this is a persistent issue” that residents would identify who is vandalising the fence so the matter can be pursued further.
She recalled that there have been previous incidents in 2018 and now the animals are breaking down fences and going on to the main street.
“I dread to think how much (repair work) will cost”, she said.
She said the horses are marauding through the Castlesize residential area as well as the Sallins Celtic playing area because the land has not been fenced off properly.
She said there was a danger to children walking to school and added the animals are entering from Kildare County Council-owned land.
“The soccer pitch has been destroyed and this is happening three or four times a year for the past six or seven years,” added Cllr Kelly.
She said Sallins Celtic has had to cancel matches and spent nearly €6,000 on the pitch.
The club has said that the issue is soul destroying and it wants KCC to act - because the issue is due to a lack of proper fencing.
Cllr Fintan Brett said that fencing had been put up elsewhere on a previous occasion but the horses are now coming in at a different point.
KCC official Eoghan Ryan told the meeting that the site will be fenced off.