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‘Greencastle has been abandoned’
26.01.10
by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent
THE Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
has decided to cease all work on the breakwater at
Greencastle Harbour, it was announced yesterday.
Department engineering staff met with Donegal County
Council engineers to begin the disengagement process
and to return the site to the Council.
€104,000 has been budgeted for Greencastle for 2010;
enough to pay-off the workers and close the gates on
the project.
Reports from government agencies indicate that work
may not resume on the breakwater for up to ten
years.
Almost €8 million has been spent on the project to
date which, it is claimed, has left the harbour in a
more dangerous state than before work began. |
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The project stands to
lose €5 million worth of work as much of the
breakwater could now be washed away.
Greencastle Harbour Users’ Committee said they feel
‘let down’ by the Department’s ‘retrograde’ step.
“This is totally unsatisfactory. There is no safe
way of walking away from this project,” said Seamus
Bovaird, Marine Leisure Sector spokesman
“We met with the Tanaiste last December and received
a favourable response. This is a total u-turn and we
feel badly let down. Leaving the breakwater
unfinished has caused a dangerous current at the
mouth of the harbour.”
“Much of the breakwater lies under the surface. What
happens if a boat strikes it and five people are
drowned?” he asked.
John D O’Kane, Whitefish Sector, said Greencastle
had been abandoned by the Department’s decision.
“Fishermen have planned for the work being
completed. They have spent millions on boats only to
be told that the harbour is more unsafe than ever.
It is like having a Mercedes and parking it in a
driveway full of potholes!” he said.
“Safety is our biggest concern here and
unfortunately it may take an accident to prompt a
rethink on this. We are not asking that the
breakwater be finished this year. We simply want to
keep the project ticking over until next year, at a
cost of €800,000.”
Labour Councillor, Martin Farren, said he would do
everything in his power to overturn the government’s
decision. The Moville man tabled a motion that
funding be made available for the breakwater at
yesterday’s County Council meeting. |
“We are bitterly
disappointed by this call. It is totally
unacceptable. The Department made a commitment to
finish the project and they should honour that,” he
said.
“The County Council paid €300,000 towards the
breakwater project in December but it seems that
it’s now too little to late. I am calling on
everyone to get involved and do what they can to
save this project, which is so important to the
fishing industry, the lifeblood of this area.”
Mr. Farren said he was not prepared to allow the
project to close, which would result in taxpayer’s
money being |
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‘washed away.’
Joe McHugh TD has strongly criticised comments made
about the suspended Greencastle Harbour project in
the Dáil last week by Minister Brendan Smith.
Responding to parliamentary questioning from Deputy
McHugh in the Dáil last Tuesday, Minister Brendan
Smith defended his Department's decision to suspend
work at the pier, telling the Dáil: “Greencastle
harbour is owned by Donegal County Council and the
maintenance and development of the harbour is the
responsibility of the Council in the first
instance.”
But Deputy McHugh described the Minister’s statement
as ‘nonsense’, saying:
“The Greencastle Harbour & breakwater project has
been administered by the Department of Agriculture &
Fisheries since its commencement. Minister Smith
cannot simply disown the project now.
“Abandoning the project now amounts to negligence on
the part of Minister Smith. Greencastle Harbour is a
vital piece of infrastructure for the local marine
industry.” |
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