A hotel belonging to Donald Trump said they were trying to protect fragile sand dunes from getting trampled in the latest twist in a saga over the erection of fencing near his luxury Irish resort.
In a letter to Clare County Council, Trump International Golf Links and Hotel in Doonbeg denied they had carried out any unauthorised development on a nearby beach and dunes.
They said they had installed fencing to combat what they called “the regular trampling and traversing” of the dunes at Doughmore Strand.
The hotel said it had been causing “significant erosion” and was undermining the “fragile dune system” in the area.
In their letter, they said Clare County Council had themselves erected signage to try and keep people from walking up and down the dunes.
The Trump Hotel added: “However, the issue has persisted and this had led to further undermining of the dunes.
“In order to prevent further activity on and damage to the dunes, fencing was erected along the sea front. The fencing erected is similar to fencing which is already in place along the top of the dunes which is designed to stop people (golfers) from walking down the dune face.”
Trump’s hotel said works to manage coastal erosion had previously been allowed by the council and that “sand trap fencing” had long been part of those efforts.
Their managing director Joe Russell wrote: “We deny the existence of any unauthorised development on [the] lands … however, we are committed to engaging with the planning authority as part of this process and in respect of any future conservation management activities.”