Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this matter and for his contact over the past days. As the Deputy has said, the pier in Union Hall is owned by Cork County Council and responsibility for its operation, maintenance and development lies with Cork County Council and its parent Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I have, therefore, no direct remit in this regard.

As part of our annual fishery, harbour and coastal infrastructure development programme my Department provides limited funding to assist coastal local authorities in carrying out small-scale projects for the development and repair of piers, harbours and slipways in their ownership. Funding of €3.1 million was approved for the local authority element of my Department's 2020 fishery, harbour and coastal infrastructure development programme. Cork County Council secured €394,500 for 13 projects under this years' programme. As Deputy O'Sullivan said, one of those projects under the programme was safety improvement works at Union Hall pier. One of the safety measures proposed by Cork County Council involved the installation of a physical barrier at the pier. The council has said the barrier is required to highlight to the public they are entering a working pier and in the council's view there is currently no means of controlling access to the working pier in times of emergencies or during high risk conditions. The application complied with the terms and conditions of my Department's local authority scheme and it was deemed eligible for funding. Any queries in relation to the barrier are a matter for Cork County Council. I do know, however, from the Deputy's contact, that alternative proposals have been laid and I will certainly inquire from Cork County Council as to why it is not possible to proceed with those alternatives. I will revert to the Deputy.

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