Councillors give go-ahead to controversial €6m Doolin pier

CONTENTIOUS plans to construct a €6 million pier at Doolin yesterday received the unanimous approval of Clare’s councillors in spite of concerns expressed by surfers.

At the monthly meeting, councillors gave the plan their endorsement after Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) said: “The new pier is imperative for the economic life of north Clare and it should proceed without delay.”

County manager Tom Coughlan recommended conditional permission be granted for the proposal, which acts as the Clare gateway to the Aran Islands.

However, the Irish Surfing Association (ISA) told the council the proposal would destroy the Crab Island and Doolin Point waves “which have been surfed for decades and are world renowned”.

The ISA pointed out to the council: “Crab Island features in Footprint’s Guide to the World’s Top 100 waves, one of three Irish waves to do so.

Fáilte Ireland supported the concerns of the surfers, requesting the council re-examine the existing proposal to ensure the plan can proceed without compromising the amenity of the area for surfers.

The stance adopted by Fáilte Ireland put it at odds with local tourism interests who lodged a submission with 200 signatures in support of the pier plan.

The Doolin-based supporters of the pier took up most of the available seating in the public gallery at yesterday’s meeting with some holding up signs saying Support Doolin Pier.

Mr Nagle said that interests in Doolin have waited 30 years for the pier and that it has the potential to create “a huge number of jobs”.

Cllr Martin Conway (FG) said the new pier would be “a major cog in Clare tourism”.

The council official charged with leading the project, Tom Tiernan, told the meeting that construction work could commence in four to six months.

Mr Tiernan said that there would be some limitations in terms of what construction work could be done this year and that the bulk of the construction work will take place next year when the pier will be complete.

Mattie Shannon of the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard later said he was always confident that the councillors would vote in favour of the plan.

“I’m sure they can see for themselves that it is essential for north Clare and there is room for the surfers as well. It is not going to damage the wave in any sense.”

Doolin ferry operator, Bill O’Brien, said: “I’m delighted. It has taken 40 years to get to this stage. In the interest of safety and to passengers and to the economy of north Clare and surrounding areas, it will be a fantastic development.

Mr O’Brien said that the plan will transform the north Clare economy.

However, a spokesman for the West Coast Surf Club said that the surfers’ objections have not been accommodated at all. They has wanted a pier that does not damage the surfing waves and provide surfers with an ability to access the surfing waves without having to paddle across the ferry paths.

There is no recourse to An Bord Pleanala for third parties.