John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Twenty-five years ago, up to 50 fishing boats worked out of Dunmore East employing hundreds of fishermen, with hundreds more employed in fish-processing plants around the harbour. Over the past decade, however, this long-established fishing industry has been under threat from restrictions designed to protect stocks. The local fishermen's co-operative is struggling enormously with EU fish quota restrictions, an aging fishing fleet and poor fish prices caused by low demand due to the recession. As fishing vessels become more technologically demanding, additional pressure has been put on resources and infrastructure. Reduced catches put pressure on employment in the processing sector. Several fish factories have already closed in Dunmore East over the past four years.

Dunmore East Harbour is suffering from inadequate infrastructure to address its potential needs. No dredging of the harbour has taken place for 17 years. Consequently, larger vessels cannot access the harbour. Silting has reduced the depth of the approach under the synchrolift. Despite the fact that it has a lifting capacity of 200 tonnes, it is only suitable for vessels with a maximum draft of about nine feet. Hence, many vessels have to divert to Cork or Howth for docking. This poor access has had a devastating impact on the local fishing fleet.

Since the recession hit, several hotels and restaurants in Dunmore East have closed. There is a significant scarcity of work and little or no investment in local industry. It is well recognised that the average income in the fishing village is below the national average. The local community has suffered significantly in the past several years, with a 12% decline in population. Without a properly functioning harbour, we may as well close down Dunmore East.

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