No solution to wandering sheep in the Curragh
Photo for illustrative purposes only
ONCE again, Kildare County Council has been asked to find a solution to the ongoing problem of sheep wandering off the Curragh and onto roads in the Brownstown, Knocks Cross, Cutbush and Suncroft areas.
The issue was raised by local representative, Fianna Fáil’s Brian O’Loughlin, who asked the council whether any solution had been found to what he described as a problem that has been “ongoing for years”.
In response, the municipal district office said it had previously investigated the possibility of installing a sheep grid on the L3007 road at Brownstown.
However, the proposal was deemed not to be feasible due to the presence of existing services in the road.
Speaking at the meeting, cllr O’Loughlin said he understood the difficulties involved in installing cattle or sheep grids, but said action was still needed to prevent the animals from accessing the public roads.
“I understand the challenge with cattle grids, but there must be something done,” he said.
He asked whether alternative measures could be considered, including tagging the sheep or using shock collars to prevent them from wandering onto the roads.
However, the cllrs idea would have to be fully agreed by responsible sheep farmers and run by the appropriate government departments.
The council’s response did not include any further solutions or recommendations for the issue, which means drivers may likely encounter wandering sheep for the foreseeable future.
