Sir, - We are appalled at the recent decision of the High Court to overturn a condition of the planning permission requiring the owners of the golf course at the Old Head of Kinsale to continue to allow public access to this headland. In spite of the admission by Mr Justice Kearns that visitors and walkers had traditionally enjoyed access to the head, he decided that no legal rights of way had been established.
The responsibility for safeguarding public rights of way rests with the local authorities and like virtually all of these bodies, Cork County Council has shamefully failed to carry out its statutory duty. We have written today to the Council and An Bord Pleanala asking them to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.
This denial of the right to access our coastline is in marked contrast to a recent decision of the Italian supreme court to make mandatory provision for public access to the foreshore. - Yours, etc.,
Roger Garland, Chairman, Keep Ireland Open, Butterfield Drive, Rathfarnham,Dublin 14.