Oceanfm.ie

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Money given to finish pier

A FURTHER €225,000 has been allocated to finalise work on Raghly Pier.

Welcoming the news, Minister of State, Dr Jimmy Devins said that this brought to over €1million the amount allocated

by central government to the project in the past two years.

He said: “This funding is provided by the Department of Agriculture and is targeted at coastal infrastructure in fishing

harbours. There has been extensive works at Raghly over the past two years and this final tranche of funding will finish

the major works.”

The finalisation work will include completion of the harbour crest wall and armour and repairs to top of outer wall,

stabilisation to core of pier head and some armour protection.

Dr Devins said: “I hope that this money will be used in a timely fashion in order to have works finished for the summer

season. This investment will be of major benefit to local fishermen and their families as well as boosting tourism

potential.

28/06/2007

27 -Chancers Chances!

Oceanfm

10/04/2007

Funding provided for floating marina at Sligo Harbour

Funding has been provided for the construction of a floating marina at Sligo Harbour.

The allocation's being made available as part of a top-up grant for the refurbishment of the

Harbour.

The facility will provide local fishermen with easy access to their boats, and will allow them to

stock their boats more easily.

The funding has been welcomed by Sligo Fianna Fail councillor, Deirdre Healy McGowan

Planning for major new marina in Rosses Point

By John Bromley/SligoWeekender

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

THE feasibility of building a major new marina in Rosses Point is being examined by Sligo Yacht Club.

It is understood that a facility to accommodate up to 100 boats is being considered. The development would be seen as adding a major piece of tourism infrastructure not just to the resort but to the Sligo area in general as it would help to attract more of the larger cruiser class yachts to the area.

The proposed development is still only in the very early stages of consideration with a committee having been set up within Sligo Yacht Club to carry out a feasibility study of the project. No definite costing has yet been carried out but based on the costs of similar facilities it is expected to be somewhere in the region of E2 million.

A previous plan for a marina at a different location in Rosses Point, involving Sligo County Council, foundered when it ran into funding and other difficulties.

Conor Ronan, who is heading up the Yacht Club committee examining the project, confirmed that a feasibility study is being carried out but stressed that no decision has yet been taken by the yacht club to go ahead with the project.

“We are carrying out a feasibility study and by the end of February we hope to be in a position to put forward a plan to the Yacht Club members for them to take a decision on.”

“We would see a marina as complementing the fantastic new clubhouse which is now here.”

It is acknowledged that Sligo Yacht Club is already one of the best in the country and has hosted national and international championships in the Mirror and GP classes (which are the smaller boats crewed by just two people). But there has been a problem attracting the larger Cruiser class yachts (crewed by five or more people) because of the lack of berthing facilities.

However, the marina would also be seen as a tourism attraction and would be available not just to sailing craft but also to other boats.

Rosses Point marina project runs aground over funding shortage

By Harry Keaney

SLIGO CHAMPION 20/09/2006

THE country may be awash in money but plans for a €4.5m marina project at Rosses Point have ran aground, at least for now, due to lack of funding, it has emerged this morning.

The boat haven plan has hit the rocks for a number of reasons, among them the considerable increase in construction costs during the past five years while the project was discussed and debated, a time during which the value of a £1m grant awarded in June 2001 has eroded.

The situation had been exacerbated by the likelihood that the amount of government grant aid was unlikely to be increased.

In addition, The Sligo Champion understands that a contribution from Sligo County Council would be considered as State aid, which would result in a breach of the maximum grant allowable under state aid rules.

It’s also understood that the €1,269,738 promised toward the project by Minister Frank Fahy in 2001 was "decommitted" by the department on Monday.

Returned

It is now believed that it’s intended that the remaining balances of contributions made toward the project by a number of local people will be returned as soon as possible.

In a letter, seen by The Sligo Champion, from Sligo County Council to the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, the council stated that it was anxious to carry out a detailed assessment of the proposal in terms of the capital costs and the long-term viability of the project.

Other issues examined were the level of input and commitment from the local community, the added value of the project to the tourism industry in the area and the proposals for the ownership and management of the project.

"The Council is satisfied that all of these issues have been satisfactorily resolved with the exception of the capital funding for the project," the council’s letter stated.

Grant

A grant of £1m (€1,269,738) was awarded for the project in June 2001 but the council pointed out that construction costs had increased considerably since then.

Given the level of increased costs, the following proposals for funding were put forward: Department of Marine, €1,660,000 (37%); Sligo County Council, €304,000 (7%); International Fund for Ireland, €300,000 (7%); Lottery, €80,000 (2%); and Sligo Yacht Club, €2,098,524 (47%).

This brought the total to €4,442,524.

In its letter of September 15th, 2006, to the Inland Fisheries, Marine Leisure and Research Division of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, the council stated that having considered this matter carefully, it was satisfied that the proposal was "not viable" and that it wished to withdraw its application for funding.

"It is with considerable disappointment that the council reached this decision, as it is considered that the provision of these facilities in Rosses Point would have been of considerable economic benefit to the area," the council stated.

A Sligo Yacht Club source described the latest developments as "an awful shame."

Genuine

He told The Sligo Champion that it was a "very genuine project" that had the total support of the yacht club. It was also a joint project between Sligo County Council, the Yacht Club and the wider community in Rosses Point.

He said it had tremendous potential for tourism and the development of general maritime activities in the village, not just for yachting but also for sea angling as well as providing a safe landing place for people going to and coming from Coney Island.

The source also pointed out that Rosses Point had a long maritime history because of people going to sea and with Irish Lights. However, he felt "we are in danger of losing our whole maritime culture," and he described it as a "huge shame that projects like this are knocked on the head."

He added that despite the best efforts of local and national politicians, and the huge amount of work done by the staff of Sligo County Council, "they couldn’t make this project happen."

May 17 / 2006

Rossespoint Marina