Written answers

Thursday, 23 June 2022

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Harbours and Piers

Photo of John McGuinnessJohn McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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453. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that the harbour authority at Dunmore East will fully engage with a club (details supplied) relative to the traffic management plan being proposed and in particular the access issues for the club arising from the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33323/22]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Dunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre is first and foremost a working fishery harbour, and is one of six Fishery Harbour Centres owned, operated, developed and maintained by my Department under statute. However, it is also home to marine-related industrial, tourism and leisure businesses. The multi-faceted business in a very confined space at Dunmore East presents difficult challenges for the operational team in doing their best to co-ordinate the flow of people and goods through the harbour and to keep all safe. This is especially so in these summer months when the combination of users is at its most intense.

In consideration of the increased activity in the harbour, my Department commissioned expert consultants to draw up a traffic management plan for the harbour. Everyone’s overriding imperative must be safety, particularly with many young children coming and going for day trips and summer camps. The club identified by the Deputy was one of a number of stakeholders who were invited to meet with the consultants and feed their views into the plan. The consultants took all requests on board to the greatest extent possible, having regard to the standards required for traffic control measures.

The plan envisages a continuous flow model operating during the summer, providing set down areas for drop-and-go movements at peak times and thereby continuous access for all users.

A dedicated car park was installed by my Department in 2018 to encourage parking away from the busiest parts of the harbour. My Department only owns a small footprint in Dunmore East and the constraints of physical space make it impossible to facilitate everyone’s desire to park at the harbour. The harbour management team continues to work with all users to make special provisions for any planned events to the greatest extent possible.

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