Concern for future of Buncrana breakwater
Posted online: Dec 24th, 2008
Buncrana Councillor Peter McLaughlin has said he is “concerned” for the future of the town’s breakwater after it was revealed there was “no facility” to carry over until next year, any allocated money which has not been spent.
The news was revealed in a written reply to a parliamentary question posed to Brendan Smith, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by Councillor McLaughlin’s party colleague and local TD, Joe McHugh.
Deputy McHugh asked the Minister to “issue a lease” to Donegal County Council in order to allow the breakwater to proceed and asked when this would be done. He also requested the Minister to “ensure the money which is in place for this project will be secured” until “Spring 2009, in view of the fact the lease has not yet come through to enable Donegal County Council to proceed with the breakwater project.”
Minster Smith said his Department was currently awaiting details from Donegal County Council regarding “the arrangements which the Council propose to make with the RNLI.”
He said the funding for the breakwater came under the Fishery, Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme and allocations were announced on an annual basis. Under the 2008 programme, €900,000 was approved for a breakwater in Buncrana.
However, the Minister revealed there was currently “no facility to carry over unspent allocation to the following year and local authorities have been invited to submit their applications for funding for the 2009 programme.”
It is understood Donegal County Council have already submitted their application for the breakwater for next year and asked for the allocation to be “brought over.”
Minister Smith told Deputy McHugh “any application by Donegal County Council in respect of Buncrana will be considered on the basis of the Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.”
Speaking to the “Inish Times,” Councillor McLaughlin said he was “very much concerned” by the statement.
He said: “The line where the Minister said there was ‘no facility’ is very worrying and I’d be very concerned on the impact it could have on the breakwater project. And, it’s not just the breakwater I’d worry about; how this could carry through to a lot of other projects as well. While it doesn’t necessarily mean the money won’t be allocated again, it is a worry and with the current economic situation being what it is, it could mean less money and therefore less allocation.
“This really is just another stealth policy brought in by this government and I would urge Donegal County Council to pursue this project vigorously. The RNLI and the job they do is invaluable and we need to be able to get them out safely. Malin Head was saved and all emergency services are co-dependent so we need to get the breakwater in place. However the statement from the Minister would raise concerns that it could all fall through because of the lack of facility to carry over the money until next year.”