County Council urged to act on ‘hippy boats’ moored along quays in Kinsale

A KINSALE-based councillor said something must be done about the plethora of ‘hippy boats’ in Kinsale harbour, which he said are unsightly and falling apart.

Cllr Kevin Murphy (FG) raised the motion at a meeting of Bandon Kinsale Municipal District and said he has never seen so many boats up towards the Scilly Dam, which he said seem to a permanent fixture there now.

‘There are maybe six to eight boats along the wall and there were two in front of Dino’s. They were supposed to move but they moved down to the Fisherman’s Pontoon and people are living in them. It’s not safe and there is no area for climbing aboard,’ said Cllr Murphy.

‘They’re almost permanent now, and are we off our heads allowing them to stay there?’ he asked.

Municipal district officer Brian Dunne said they are trying to do something within the regulations. ‘There is a vacuum there with bylaws and that’s the obstacle we face but the senior harbourmaster and senior management team are aware of the issues,’ he said.

One local told The Southern Star that people were living on boats which are no longer seaworthy, and some may have no toilet or washing facilities.

A Cork County Council spokesperson confirmed that no notices have been served on the boats, while notices were served on caravans along the Long Quay.

In reference to this, the spokesperson added that ‘Section 13 (10) of the Roads Act 1993 makes it an offence to place or deposit any material on a public road where this obstruction interferes with the maintenance of a public road.’