Simon Coveney: Will try to make project a priority.

A CRUMBLING pier could leave an island population stranded in west Cork.

Marine Minister Simon Coveney has promised to make it a priority to prevent 125 islanders being virtual prisoners on Cape Clear.

Serious cracks have developed in a 160-year-old pier which serves the country’s most southerly island.

A number of options have been put forward — but it could take up to €20 million to rectify the problems.

Experts warn if the island’s Bull’s Nose pier collapses, it could block the entire harbour, not only severely disrupting the lives of locals but also cutting off an estimated 120,000 annual visitors.

Tourism remains a major economic lifeline of the Gaeltacht island.

Mr Coveney made his comments after Cork South West TD Noel Harrington said the 20-metre-long pier had been battered by the sea so badly that it was at risk of completely crashing into the sea.

“The people of Oileán Chléire desperately need decisive action to be taken to secure the pier for the foreseeable future,” Mr Harrington said.

“If this pier was to collapse at this time of the year, it might well be May or June next before construction equipment or materials could be brought onto the island to undertake the necessary repair work,” the Castletownbere-based TD said.

Mr Coveney, meanwhile, said that as an avid yachtsman who had berthed in Cape Clear on numerous occasions over the past 15 years, he accepted it was a major cause of concern for the islanders.

He said a number of studies, including one by a team of UCC experts, are continuing.

The minister said remedial works had been carried out on the harbour over the years to try and rectify the problem. However, he admitted that the deterioration of the outer end of the main harbour breakwater was a significant problem.

“We are examining the conclusions of the consultants which provide an expensive six options. The cost ranges from €750,000 to €20 million. There is no easy, quick fix, cheap solution to this.

“However, as there is a concern that the Bull’s Nose is unstable and could collapse at any time, I will give an assurance that we will try to make this project a priority.”

The minister acknowledged his department faced budgetary constraints in the current financial climate.

But, despite the constraints, he said he had a responsibility to make this harbour safe.

“It is not a safe harbour in certain conditions and we need to improve that situation if we can while solving the structural problems at the Bull’s Nose — which is now a breakwater rather than a pier.”