A public meeting held in Portsalon last night to discuss the ongoing works at the local pier has been described as ‘extremely beneficial’.
Councillor Liam Blaney was speaking at the end of the hour-long meeting in Stores Bar, which he called himself.
The pier was badly damaged (main pic) during a storm before Christmas, sparking calls for urgent repairs. The meeting heard that the €1.5 million works to repair the structure will be completed in April.
“There seemed to be concerns in the area and different stories being told about what was happening on the ground that weren’t 100 per cent accurate,” Cllr Blaney said.
He said he felt clarity on the development was needed and that’s why he orgaised the meeting and asked the contractor, Joe McMenamin, and the Donegal County Council’s Marine Engineer, Cathal Sweeney, to attend
“It was important to have both of them present so that answers could be provided to technical questions and concerns local business owners and residents had.”
Councillor Liam Blaney (L), and Donegal County Council Marine Engineer, Cathal Sweeney, pictured at the public meeting in Stores Bar in Portsalon on Tuesday night.
Cllr Blaney said he hoped that people went away from the meeting a lot clearer and that everyone was singing off the same hymn sheet rather than the ‘different stories that had been going out’.
“I was more than happy to facilitate tonight’s meeting, and I regarded it as extremely beneficial. It’s important that we hear, and Donegal County Council hears the views of the people on the ground, the people who live beside the pier itself, and the people who have businesses here who are affected by the closure of the pier. In fairness to them, they’ve taken it on the chin, even though the pier was closed for the summer, which would have been their busiest period. Portsalon is a real hub in the summertime and a hive of activity. They’re hoping that the closure won’t run into another summer. We needed clarity on that.”
The meeting heard that it is hoped that the works at the pier will be finished in April and Cllr Blaney said this was ‘excellent news for all concerned.’
“Unfortunately, there were holdups, but they have been overcome, and it’s all systems go at this stage,” he added.
“Quite a bit of work has already been done and, given the progress that has been made over the last ten to twelve weeks, the month of April is the most likely month that will see the €1.5 million project completed.”
He commended his Fianna Fáil party colleague, Minister Charlie McConalogue, for his vital input into this project. The minister, he explained, was able to secure an extension under the Brexit Adjustment Local Authority Infrastructure Scheme which will allow the works to be completed at a later date than the December 2023 deadline that was set when the funding allocation was announced back at the end of 2022.
“Local business owners who spoke at tonight’s meeting see the works at Portsalon Pier as being a hugely positive step for the local economy and the area in general. They are all looking forward to a new beginning, and hopefully, they’ll have a busy and successful summer season in 2024. I hope that the development of Portsalon Pier is only the beginning of what can be developed off the pier and around the pier.”
There were proposals at the meeting to extend the pier and there were also calls for extra moorings to be put out so that boats coming to the area will have an opportunity to stop off for a while, which is important for the local businesses.
“For those travelling up along the Atlantic, and looking to take shelter in Lough Swilly, Portsalon is the first pier they will have access to,” Cllr Blaney added.
“So, the extra moorings are important in this regard. If anyone has concerns about the project between now and its completion, I’d ask them to contact me, and I’ll do my best to address those concerns.”
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