That has all now changed.
We recently pulled up at Farran –first time for six or eight months – and noted the new entry fee and automatic barriers and yellow lines. We were disappointed at the entry fee but were disgusted at the amount.
I understand that it does cost to create and maintain trails in the park, car parking, toilets and other facilities. But they were provided free and one could well argue that this was a contribution to the public health and wellbeing so was part of the public service of a public company.
But the public service brief now appears to be secondary to maximising revenue – for possible sell-off or other reason.
Furthermore, these maintenance costs did not first arise as liabilities of Coillte within the last six to eight months. Upto then, Coillte absorbed the costs and did not pass them on to the public. How Coillte could think that now is the time for passing costs onto the public is baffling – maybe they think they will sneak it with the many other charges being applied by many others.
It may seem very petty - €2 might not buy a cup of coffee in some establishments. But the final piece of straw has landed on this camel’s back. I am now screaming ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. A thousand cuts have already been applied and now Coillte want another.
Fota charges €3 for use of car-park and this was €2 upto recently. This should be the standard/maximum.
If Farran had €3 entry fee, we would have gone in for our walk and would have been back since. But they have pitched it too high and have lost us – I am not sure that was not their objective.