Kildare Senator To Reintroduce Bill To Tackle Illegal Encampments On The Curragh

Tuesday, 5 April 2022 at 11:41

File image: Curragh Plains via Kildare County Council

Following further encampments in the area

The Curragh of Kildare (Amendment) Bill will be reintroduced in the Seanad.

Kildare Senator, Fiona O'Loughlin will reintroduce the bill in the next couple of weeks, in response to further encampments on the Curragh.

On Tuesday morning the Fianna Fáil Senator noted there are currently 25 vehicles on the Ballysax side of the Curragh.

The new bill will amend the Curragh of Kildare Act 1961 "to make provision for the management and use of the Curragh whereby the Minister for Defence may grant a licence to persons for continuous occupation of any part of the Curragh for a specified period of time. Anyone residing on the Curragh without such a licence would be committing an offence."

Senator O'Loughlin has noted, “if enacted will require a licence to be granted by the Minister for Defence authorising anyone who occupies any part or parts of the Curragh for any purpose.

I have long advocated for the Curragh to be designated heritage park status, and in addition to its value in terms of heritage, as we all know, it is home to an active military base. There is no place for unauthorised encampments, and certainly not on the Curragh.

This Bill would target any person who occupies an area of the Curragh without a licence. Anyone in breach would be guilty of an offence and subject to a class A fine or imprisonment. We need to get tough on this issue, protecting our national heritage and our environment must come first.”

Senator O'Loughlin introduced the bill when she was a member of the Dáil, in 2019.

Senator O'Loughlin joined Eoin Beatty on this morning's 'Kildare Today':