Kerry residents object to ‘horse urine smell’

In 2010, he was granted temporary permission by An Bord Pleanala to house one horse carriage and two horses on his property.

However, an application to Kerry Co Council for retention met with some resistance.

However, the council approved planning and the matter has now been appealed to An Bord Pleanala, via a solicitor on behalf of a neighbouring family. They claim the development is too large in an urban area.

The property backs onto Rossdara housing estate and some residents, along with a neighbour of Mr McCarthy’s, had complained of a strong stench of horse urine.

Documents submitted claimed that hay sales and the advertisement of a “top-class stallion at stud” had been among activities at the site.

Mr McCarthy, however, is adamant his business consists of just “two stable pens” for two horses and says he has never sold a horse or a bale of hay from the property, and that he deals properly with waste.

In a submission, an engineer for neighbours, Dan and Carmel Hourigan, said that, being “reasonable people”, they would have no objection to the two-horse business, but claim that there is a breach of planning and that horse waste disposal has not been properly addressed.

Meanwhile, the secretary of the 67-house Rossdara estate complained of “strong odours” including urine, horse manure, and excrement coming from the stables. This is “particularly noticeable when there is a strong breeze,” the residents advised the council.

“The odours are distasteful and lead to windows having to be kept closed,” they claim.

“While we appreciate that Mr McCarthy is a jarvey by trade, we are concerned that the scale of the current commercial operation exceeds, and is in contravention of, the original planning permission of providing storage for a maximum of two horses and one carriage.”

They claimed storage of manure in open bags, as well as leakage, were of concern.