Dublin City Council says it will not drop Smithfield horse fair restrictions

Restrictions on horse fairs in Dublin’s Smithfield, including limits on event days and the requirement for casual trading licences, cannot be scrapped Dublin City Council officials have said.

Officials briefed local councillors on Monday following a “protest fair” on Sunday where horse owners and traders brought their animals to Smithfield Square without permission.

Bylaws introduced 10 years ago restrict the holding of the fair to twice a year, on the first Sunday of March and September between 9.30am and 1.30pm. A horse must not be allowed trot, canter or gallop and must be under the control of someone over 16 years of age. The bylaws also require anyone bringing a horse to the fair to have a casual trading licence costing €10.

The introduction of the bylaws in 2013 followed several attempts by the council to shut or relocate the fair since the 1990s , when it invested considerable funds in the redevelopment of Smithfield plaza.

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It temporarily banned the fair in 2002 after a horse bolted and hit a car on the quays which was occupied by a woman and a child. However, the traders returned to the plaza, citing their market right. The fair also drew attention in 2009 when an injured horse was sold to an 11-year-old boy for €8. Concerns around the market came to a head in March 2011 when two men were shot and another was injured with a slash hook.

Over the last decade, the twice yearly fairs have largely progressed as planned, the council said. However, recently there have been a number of illegal fairs. On Sunday last a number of horse owners came to the square with their animals to protest against the bylaws, particularly the requirement to supply PPS numbers.

However, senior executive officer with the council Frank Lambe said it was not possible to have a fair which did not comply with the regulations.

“The bylaws are there to ensure the orderly running and management of the fair,” he said, adding that they were “principally concerned with the safety of people attending fair and the welfare of animals”.

He said the bylaws are the only way the council can allow a horse fair in Smithfield.

“These bylaws have to be complied with. If the bylaws aren’t complied with their can’t be a horse fair.”

He said he was aware certain people took issue with supplying proof of identity or PPS numbers to the council, but he said it was a legal requirement for the casual trading licence.

“It really comes down to their concern over taking out a casual trading licence and I can’t offer a solution to that. The bylaws require that they take out a casual trading licence and to get the licence you have to provide some information and there simply is no way round it.”

Local Sinn Féin councillor Janice Boylan said she had heard “horrific” reports of the some activities at the unsanctioned fairs with “very aggressive” behaviour.

“Residents are absolutely sick of it at this stage,” she said. “The last thing we want is for carnage to break out there between those who are attending the illegal horse fairs, guards and residents.”

Independent councillor Cieran Perry said he was “very familiar” with the issues which resulted in the introduction of the bylaws, including “violence, the drug dealing and the animal abuse”

He added: “We don’t want to inflame the situation but we can’t have clear breaches of the bylaws and clear illegality continuing.”

Independent councillor Christy Burke said he remembered gunfire at the fair. “The fear in the local residents was indescribable,” he said. “If someone has a problem with giving in their PPS number or cooperating with the questions, well then maybe they shouldn’t be there.”