Harbours and piers ‘need to be regulated’ in Mayo
Cllr Peter Flynn said by-laws are needed.
A Westport councillor has called for by-laws to be put in place at piers and harbours along the West Mayo coastline, describing them as huge assets that need to be regulated.
Fine Gael Cllr Peter Flynn told last week's meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District that Mayo's piers and harbours "need attention". He referred, in particular, to Rosmoney in West Mayo "where we have had several incidents over the last number of months in regard to the upgrade and resurfacing that took place there".
"Unfortunately, they excluded the final two metres of the slipway in the works, which has now created a substantial risk and hazard where boats are dropped off," Cllr Flynn explained. "We are lucky we have avoided any incidents on it so far, although I know the Coastguard did have one there.”
Cllr Flynn formally proposed that Mayo County Council’s Head of Marine, Michael O’Boyle, be invited to address the September meeting of the authority and that a report be circulated in advance “so that we know what is happening about remedying Rosmoney".
The Westport councillor added: “We really need to regulate along our key ports in Mayo. I think we have neglected piers and harbours over the last number of years. They are huge assets but also people who live on our islands and those using them for fishing and leisure depend on them. We have taken our eye off the ball on them around West Mayo.”
Council engineer Heather Gibbons said the local authority was "just waiting for the right tides regarding Rosmoney and also for putting markers in there". She added that by-laws are in place at the quay in Westport Harbour and also in Newport, but not Rosmoney. However, she added: “Our biggest challenge is to have harbour masters, who work on a voluntary basis, to oversee them.”
Cllr Flynn replied that the by-laws were "way out of date" and Cllr Paul McNamara seconded the proposal to have a report and presentation from the council's Head of Marine at the September meeting.
Cllr John O’Malley said he was very disappointed to learn from people using Rosmoney Pier that the upgrade works didn’t go out far enough.
“Is it going to be a case of having to bring the machines in again to go further down that pier, which was already a big operation? They should have gone down another 15 feet. I am very disappointed. I thought it would be a great job but it is just not good enough for that kind of work to be carried out and not to be done properly.”
