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€400K to ‘cap’ Greencastle
breakwater
23.09.11
by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent
INISHOWEN TD Charlie McConalogue has called on the
coalition government to make a firm commitment to
restart work on a half-finished breakwater project
close to Greencastle Harbour.
This week a further €400,000 has been allocated to
‘provide capping’ – effectively to stop the
breakwater from washing away.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
spent €8.2m on construction of the breakwater while
a further €104,000 was allocated in February, 2010
to demobilise it.
Deputy McConalogue says he is holding Fine Gael to
its pre-election commitment that the project must be
completed.
"While I welcome the additional allocation of
€400,000 to protect the project, this investment
along with the millions that have gone into the
project before will have been in vain if the project
is not re-opened at the earliest opportunity,” he
said. |
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The half-finished breakwater at
Greencastle. |
“This €400,000 is
effectively being spent to close the project down. I
have been asking for a commitment from the Minister
that this project will re-open as a number one
priority when funds become available but so far he
has not committed to this,” Deputy McConalogue
added.
The Gleneely TD said Deputy Joe McHugh should make
the breakwater project a ‘top priority’.
“Fine Gael in particular made very clear commitments
before the election to fishermen and water users in
Greencastle as to the priority that would be given
to the project if they were elected. They accused
the previous Minister of 'negligence' for not having
already completed a 'vital piece of infrastructure'.
“I am calling on Deputy McHugh to get a firm
commitment from the Minister making it absolutely
clear that the Greencastle Breakwater project will
be top priority as soon as funding becomes available
for capital projects,” said McConalogue.
John O’Kane, of Foyle Fisherman’s Co-op, gave a
tentative welcome to the additional €400,000 in
funding but he said that safety concerns remain at
the busy harbour.
“The safety issues are still there and I am calling
on the Minister to allocate funding if not next year
then the year after that. The [economic]
circumstances we find ourselves in could provide an
excuse not to finish it but it is badly needed and
could provide jobs in the local area,” he said.
“Hopefully the €400,000 will now help protect the
breakwater and they will come back at it in the near
future,” O’Kane added.
It is understood that the total cost of completing
the breakwater project could exceed €45 million. (Inishowen
Independent) |
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