Beach bye laws which restrict dogs accessing parts of Kerry’s Blue flag beaches are back in operation.
These bye-laws were introduced in 2022 and run each year from June 1st to September 15th.
The rules don’t apply to guide dogs and assistance dogs.
In 2022, councillors voted to adopt the Kerry County Council Beach Bye Laws which saw restrictions for dogs and horses from accessing parts of Kerry's Blue Flag beaches during specific time periods this summer.
Kerry has 15 Blue Flag beaches and these bye laws run from 11am to 7pm each day during the summer season on these beaches.
The rules differ on Kells beach, where the restrictions apply from 12pm to 7pm each day from June 1st to September 15th.
During these times, dogs can’t be brought onto the Blue Flag section of the beach; Kerry County Council says this typically applies to the area between the lifeguard flags and dogs are allowed on other parts of the beaches.
These controls don’t apply to any carpark or public footpaths at the beach.
Kerry County Council says where possible, it has designated throughways at Blue Flag beaches to provide access for dog-owners to areas beyond the designated Blue Flag section.
Dog owners are being asked to keep their pets on a leash at all times while using these throughways.
The council says a map of the Blue Flag area is posted on the public noticeboard located on all beaches where these rules apply.
