Fungi ferrymen hit out over harbour charges

Ferry owners who take tourists to see Dingle’s iconic dolphin, Fungi, have claimed they will be put out of business if new harbour charges are introduced by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Jimmy Flannery, chairman of Dingle Boatmen’s Association, which represents eight ferries, said the proposals would result in a trebling of charges per vessel from €2,500/3,000 to €8,500/9,000.

The bottlenose dolphin, which has been in Dingle for almost 30 years, is a key tourist attraction in the area and an industry has been built up around it, with 18 people employed in the ferries.