Posted online: Jul 22nd, 2009

The unfinished breakwater at Greencastle pier has created an extra current in the water, which one Inishowen Councillor fears will cause “a disaster.”

Funding of 1.6 million euro was received for the project from the Deprtment of the Environment in April this year. 

However, the money is close to running out and while hopes are high that further funding will become available to complete the scheme, the current economic situation means this may take some time.

The breakwater is now partially constructed and this has caused an extra current to form.

Speaking at the recent Inishowen Electoral Area Committee meeting in Carnrodnagh, Councillor Bernard McGuinness claimed it created a “health and safety issue.”

He said: “They’ve created an extra current which local fishermen and ferry operators know about but take into account any strange boat going into that harbour, they would not know about that extra current.

“Nobody in the Department has done anything about it; it’s an issue for health and safety. I’m just afraid there will be a disaster here and I mean a disaster in the strictest sense of the word.”

Councillor Martin Farren said he hoped the money to finish the structure would “come on stream in the near future.”

“I attended a meeting on the issue recently and it was quite clear that there could be a considerable length of time before more funding becomes available.

“Local fishermen have concerns coming into the pier, with the current making it more difficult.

“Money is being spent with the possibility of it coming along in stages. 

“The feeling is that if they can keep the show on the road funding will become available for the breakwater to continue.

“Quite a considerable amount of money has been spent on it. Greencastle is a huge fishing area and I’ve been involved in the fishing trade all my life. I would like to think the money will come on stream in the near future.”

Councillor Padraig MacLochlainn explained how he felt the “difficulties in central government funding” had created “a serious hazard.”

Councillor Mickey Doherty, who raided the issue of the breakwater at the meeting, said the fact the staff working at the pier were “tiding over’ was “serious.”

He also asked that if the works were not going to be finished in the enar future, the Shore Green should be reopened.

He said: “I visited the pier and spoke to the engineer and there was no progress. He  said ‘There’s a few of us still here and we’re basically tiding over.’

“That’s a serious accusation, if it’s not going to go ahead we need to get the Shore Front open and give the Green back to the people. I think rather than solving a problem here we created an even bigger one as it’s a pure health hazard.”