A safety warning has been issued in respect of walkers in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area who are making their way onto private property and farmland, some accompanied by unrestrained dogs, causing serious problems around livestock, particularly young lambs.
As well as being a health and safety matter from a leisure perspective, one member also referenced others in a professional capacity “tramping through farmland” yet despite being reported to numerous agencies, nothing appears to have been done.
Democratic Unionist Paul Robinson said some out walking: “Seem to be straying off roads onto private laneways, into where sheep and cattle are. It’s very dangerous for health and safety. There are young lambs and (walkers) are bringing dogs in which are not on leads. There’s going to be a very bad end to this if they don’t start watching where they are going.”
At the suggestion of the Chair, Councillor Siobhan Currie, Councillor Robinson proposed some messaging should go out around the issue.
This was seconded by party colleague Councillor Mark Buchanan.
Supporting this was Councillor Emmet McAleer, Independent who remarked: “The idea of Dalradian workers tramping through farmland locally is something which has been addressed through Council, with the Health and Safety Executive and with PSNI and we haven’t had much joy around action taken on that. Anything we can do to raise this issue and curtail it would be great.”
