Councillors seek action on issue of horse control in Limerick city
CONCERNS have been expressed by members of the public over instances where horses have been straying onto public pathways in Limerick.
Limerick City and County Council's November Metropolitan meeting saw a motion put forward by Councillor Saša Novak Uí Chonchúir, aimed at mitigating the issue of horses straying from private lands.
The councillor pointed out the deteriorating state of fences along the riverbank from Athlunkard Bridge to UL and beyond, creating an environment where horses roam freely, leading to issues with residents and path users.
“If you take a walk or cycle down along the riverbank, it's evident that the fences have broken down around some of the fields,” she said.
“The poor animals are just roaming freely around an area which is not good for them and puts them into conflict with humans using the area,” continued the Green Party councillor.
Stressing the importance of responsible ownership, Cllr Novak Uí Chonchúir said: “This isn't responsible ownership, be it of animals or of land. We can easily establish who owns the land, so we need to request from them to make sure that the land is secured, that the grazing grounds are secured properly.”
Another Green Party councillor, Seán Hartigan, then proposed a further motion. He said to the chamber: “I propose now that we create a database of all land where horses are kept with the contact details of the owner and we engage with the owner should a horse stray from that land.”
Cllr Sarah Kiely called for support in arranging a presentation at the next metropolitan meeting, stressing the importance of insights from the horse control department, the veterinary section, and potentially a member of the gardaí.
Discussions on the issue of horse control are set to continue at the next meeting of the metropolitan district of Limerick in December.