Fáilte Ireland report on Mayo tourist hotspot is 'a complete insult'

An Achill councillor has condemned a new report from Fáilte Ireland on the proposed masterplan for Keel village, saying there is no mention of any proposed actions or funding.

Cllr Paul McNamara told the recent meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District that it was now two and a half years since the local community in Keel engaged with Mayo County Council and offered their views on how a proposed masterplan for the busy tourist village should proceed.

"However, nobody is any the wiser about what might actually be done to help the area cater to the annual influx of thousands of visitors and keep people safe between Keel beach, the campsite, the main road and the surrounding areas," he remarked.

Reading from a Fáilte Ireland report, Cllr McNamara said the update on the project told him nothing, other than “the plan is at an advanced stage and seeks to address challenges of traffic management, public realm, visitor flow, sustainable and wild camping and future development of key strategic sites". 

He told management: “This report is about six pages in total, with a conclusion that says there has been significant progress made on Keel visitor management and play areas and that the masterplan provides strong and robust guidance for future decision-making.

“In my opinion, I never saw such a load of codswallop. To think consultants and engineers were employed to put this together as a masterplan for Keel and this is what we have two and a half years on, this report. And that’s after the public consultation in 2024 followed up in 2025 by council executives, including chief executive Kevin Kelly, representatives from Fáilte Ireland, myself and community groups, met and walked the whole area of Keel.

“Four community groups made separate submissions, yet we have here now a report we could have put together ourselves in an hour, telling us what Keel needs. This is an insult to the people of Keel. All it has is recommendations, there is no mention of money available for funding, how to deal with wild camping, the influx of tourists during the tourist season and what money is available for the upgrading of infrastructure.

“Keel is one of the most important tourism hubs in Mayo and in recent years has seen a continued increase in visitor numbers, which has significant economic benefits to the area but also generates pressure in terms of parking, pedestrian safety and protection of the environment.

“In summer every year we have an influx of at least 4,000 people who enjoy the 3km Blue Flag beach, but serving that entire area is just two toilets, that’s it. The other toilets are still not finished; there are no pedestrian crossings, even though hundreds of people are crossing the road. There is no traffic management plan, nothing whatsoever.

“This is a complete insult and a load of nonsense that this report is released and that this is where we are at. I do acknowledge the work of the council outdoor staff who are picking up rubbish every day when the tourists are there, but we already had an issue around wase disposal where camper vans were dumping waste into the local river, creating an environmental issue during the summer. We don’t want to jeopardise our Blue Flag. If we are serious about promoting Keel as a tourist destination, we have to act, we have to fund local amenities. We cannot wait for Fáilte Ireland to decide when and if funding becomes available.” 

Cllr McNamara called for funding to be in place for 2027, saying: “That would be a starting point to protecting Keel as a village." He also asked that a similar arrangement be put in place as happened at Keem beach, following the success of the The Banshees of Inisheerin movie, whereby the council put in traffic and wild camping management measures and employed a ranger for the summer season.

Cllr McNamara added: “I am just really disappointed at Fáilte Ireland and don’t know who it is answerable to because if it were a private body, they would get the front door. At every opportunity, they promote the Wild Atlantic Way, but what have they done for it? Nothing has been invested in it other than signage, yet they show up at every event and showcase it and its marvellous scenery. But what infrastructure are they putting in? Yes, they have funded the Carrowmore and Keel beach amenities but five years on these are still not finished. 

"Somebody needs to be accountable with Fáilte Ireland and what they are distributing and for them not to be coming up with report after report and wasting money on consultants to tell us what the problems are when we all know that. I am calling for a ranger be put in place in the Keel area for the summer of 2027 and for Fáilte Ireland to be made accountable for projects and when they will be delivered, rather than promoting on and on.” 

Head of the municipal district, Seamus Ó Mongáin replied: “Fáilte Ireland do hope to bring forward the proposals for Keel before the end of this year. They have schematics and drawings and plans drafted for all of the area of Keel, including in relation to managing the dunes, the streetscape, the traffic, etc. They are intent on bringing these in a presentation for the public to offer their views, and if cemented, to seek to fund them. It will be on a phased basis.

“In Mayo County Council, we are also looking to advance some of the minor things around traffic management, pedestrian safety and ramps, and we are looking at the R319 to see if we have sufficient funding to put some towards that too.

“There are competing priorities for all areas, but no doubt Keel is very densely used at high season and it would be good to advance these before any Fáilte Ireland works happen, but I can assure you there is very significant funding for what the proposals are. Once you see these you will see significant consideration is given to the issue of wild camping. It will not be possible to eliminate it fully, but it will make it very difficult in certain places and that will entice people more into proper designated campsites. So, the key is managing the area and landscape better while meeting local needs.”

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.