Moves by Cork County Council to introduce bye-laws that would possibly spell the end of horse fairs in the county are being strongly resisted by market traders and horse people alike.

The Skibbereen Farmers Markets Traders have engaged Kenmare solicitor Conor Murphy to act on their behalf while Athlone horse dealer, Jim Derwin, slammed the proposals, pointing to the economic benefits and cultural heritage of Irish horse fairs.

The bye-laws proposals would require every person selling a horse, pony, donkey or ass in to buy a €10 Casual Trading Licence from the Co Council, which can be refused and is non-transferable. To get such a licence, a person has to supply a raft of details about themselves including name, address, PPS number, proof of insurance etc. Only people over the age of 16 will be allowed in charge of horses, while the local authority also wants to ban all dogs from horse fair-designated areas.

In addition, no animals can be trotted, cantered or galloped and no “unfit’’ horses are allowed either.

Jim Derwin, whose family have been buying at fairs nationwide for generations, said: “We buy thousands of horses and ponies across Ireland every year. The fairs are a very big part of my business and we sell them all over the world. I’m gobsmacked at what they are trying to do in Cork. It is absolutely ridiculous. The fairs will go on anyway as they are for the people and people are doing horse trading for centuries. It is the oldest trading in the world. Fairs contribute to the economy. Even if visitors don’t buy a horse or pony at a fair, they are still spending money being here. It’s good for the country.

“It will lead to a rise in the number of horses and ponies being abandoned, if people cannot take their horses and ponies and donkeys to the local fair to be sold without having to get a licence. Fairs put a bit of money back into the pockets of the people that need it and what’s wrong with that? Fairs are a way of ordinary people making a bit of money, vital income to many of them. This move in Cork against the fairs has got to be stopped,” said Derwin.

FAILURE

Pavee Point spokeswoman Ronnie Fay said: “There is a failure in this on the part of the County Council to recognise the wider societal importance and value of market trading, street fairs and horse fairs. There has been no consultation.”

Ciaran Casey, a spokesman for MAST, a group for market traders, said: “A compromise is needed. What we need to show is that events like horse fairs are vibrant cultural events that do not necessarily need to be regulated in this manner.”

Submissions to the Cork proposals are open to the public until two weeks after the 16 December deadline for public consultation. They must be made in writing to the Director of Corporate Services, Floor 14, County Hall, Cork. Envelopes must be marked ‘Submission on Draft Casual Trading Bye-Laws’.