Harbours and Piers

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 February 2022

Thursday, 17 February 2022

Questions (6)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

6. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 62 of 7 December 2021, the status of the development of Caladh Mór pier on Inis Meáin; the overall expected cost of the development project; the total cost to date of the project; the status of the development of the updated simulation by the National Maritime College of Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8495/22]

Oral answers (7 contributions)

Deputy Catherine Connolly

Baineann mo cheist leis an struchtúr bunúsach. Baineann sé le stádas forbartha ché an Chalaidh Mhóir. Cá bhfuil sé? Cad é an costas iomlán agus cén uair a fheicfimid an togra seo críochnaithe? The Minister is familiar with this issue. I know she took a particular interest in the Caladh Mór pier on Inis Meáin. What is the precise status of the project?

Deputy Heather Humphreys

The Inis Meáin pier development is included in the national development plan. As the Deputy will be aware, Galway County Council is the body responsible for development of stage 3 of the Caladh Mór pier development. Users of the pier, including several State-subsidised ferry operators, have highlighted issues with capacity within the harbour, as well as with currents around the mouth of the harbour.

As part of the preparatory works, the National Maritime College of Ireland, NMCI, was instructed by Galway County Council to develop a model simulation for the harbour which will inform the business case options for the development. Following feedback from the various parties who attended a demonstration of the model, the NMCI is furthering the development of the simulation. It is expected the updated simulation will give a more precise and accurate overview of how the conditions at the pier affect the specific key vessels that use it. Additional marine studies are also to be carried out in the harbour to gather further data and these will feed into the simulation.

Once the NMCI has completed its work, Galway County Council will incorporate the findings into its draft business case. Following on from this, the Department will be in a position to evaluate the next steps in the process in line with the public spending code and available funding. Approximately €14 million has been spent on the development of the pier to date and, at present, it is estimated that stage 3 will cost approximately €16.5 million.

Deputy Catherine Connolly

I welcome the update. I am sure my colleague, an Teachta Ó Cuív, will come in on this issue. He has asked many questions about it. The first and second phases were completed in 2008, almost 14 years ago. The college in Cork is now being asked to look at a simulation exercise. When will that be complete? Do we need to wait for it to be complete before the business case begins? Has the business case already begun? Can the two be done comhthreomhar le chéile - parallel with each other? It is now 2022 and it is unacceptable for phase 3 to be still in never-neverland.

Deputy Heather Humphreys

I know this is an issue to which Deputies Connolly and Ó Cuív are very committed. As they are aware, I visited the pier with Deputy Ó Cuív. It has become clear that following completion of phase 2 of the pier project, the expected wave patterns and currents at the entrance to the harbour were not fully understood, requiring preparation of modelling simulations by NMCI which will impact on the development options. The work of NMCI on developing the simulation was delayed by Covid restrictions. That meant it was not until July last year that people could view the simulation. There is a need for additional surveys to be carried out at the location. This relates specifically to the development options to facilitate use of the harbour by the cargo vessel. Once the conclusions are available, the business case can be progressed. Officials of my Department will be holding a meeting with Galway County Council and members of the Inis Meáin community tomorrow, 18 February, to discuss the development of the project and listen to any concerns they may have.

Deputy Catherine Connolly

That was my question - whether the meeting in February had taken place. We knew from a previous reply that it was to take place.

It is going take place on Friday. That is progress.

I cannot emphasise enough the consequences of not having the third phase completed, especially in the context of safe access to the pier for cargo ships, for the factory and for the businesses there that rely on importing and exporting either materials or the final product. Will the Minister be in attendance at the meeting taking place tomorrow? Have meetings been happening on a regular basis? Have these been documented in order that we can see that progress is being made in respect of this matter? What does the Minister foresee as the final date for the work on the NMCI in Cork to be completed? I did not hear that mentioned in the previous reply.

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív

The last part of that question was going to be the first part of my question. When will this particular process be over? It has been going on for a long time.

Will the Department provide a list of all the steps that will need to be taken before we can proceed to into construction? In the context of Inis Oírr, for example, the problem that arose was that planning permission had been obtained but just when everything was ready to go, it was suddenly discovered that there was no foreshore licence. Can the Minister provide a list of all of the relevant steps in order that the community, the local politicians and the Department are clear on what is going to be involved in progressing this project? We can then look at what steps can be taken in parallel.

To a certain extent, we over-egged the business case. Effectively, this can only be done in one way in order to arrived at the desired result from a maritime point of view. Whatever that cost, it is going to have to be done. Either that or it will cost much more money to relocate the people off a dying island.

Deputy Heather Humphreys

I thank Deputies Connolly and Ó Cuív. This issue relating to this pier is complex. We tried to do this before many years ago and we did not get it right. As a result, it is important that all of the necessary preparatory work is done so that we do get it right. It is early in this development process and a revised timeline for the project has yet to be agreed with Galway County Council. The timeline will be prepared in consultation with the engineers, and we will lay out the various development steps following agreement of the business plan with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Prior to construction, there are a number of pre-construction issues to be addressed. Deputy Ó Cuív is correct in his reference to foreshore licensing, planning, environmental and marine surveys and the tendering process. Accordingly, based on the previous harbour development, it may be that, following approval of the project, actual construction may not commence until year 2.

We are having fortnightly meetings with Galway County Council and are keeping the pressure on. I know this has been going on for a long time. I have visited the pier and I am committed to working with the Deputies to try to move this on as quickly as we can. However, the matter is complex. The currents at the entrance to the harbour are making it difficult to get it right. That is the position.