A CONVOY of 10 horse-drawn carriages arrived at Leinster House on Thursday, joined by volunteers from My Lovely Horse Rescue, to deliver a letter to the Minister for Transport, Shane Ross, calling for legislation governing the trade to be updated.

The letter from the 10 drivers asked the Minister to urgently repeal old Victorian legislation and enable Dublin City Council to draft new, improved and enforceable bye-laws.

The drivers want to see legislation which properly assesses the driver, carriage, horse and harnessing, providing a safe and professional service to customers with horses suitable for the work involved.

The letter was supported by Joan Collins TD, Maureen O’Sullivan TD, Cllr Deirdre Heney, Cllr Cieran Perry, Cllr Mannix Flynn and Cllr Críona Ní Dhálaigh.

Until September 2018, the drivers had been fully licensed by Dublin City Council under the Control of Horse Drawn Carriages Bye-laws 2011. However, when they went to renew their licences, they were told licences were not currently being renewed or issued.

OLD LAWS

Since 2016, there had been plans by Dublin City Council to update the 2011 bye-laws, however this was stalled after a legal issue came to light last September during a question raised by Cllr. Heney about the bye-laws.

The Council’s legal department advised councillors that the old Dublin Carriage Acts 1853, 1854 and 1855, may still be in force. Bye-laws may not be made by local authorities where powers exist elsewhere in legislation. Responsibility for licences in Dublin may no longer rest with the council. In November 2018, Maureen O’Sullivan TD raised the matter in the Dáil and the Minister for Transport. The Minister advised he would review the legislation to see what needed to be done. There has been no update to date.