Plea for Bantry Bay users to make views known on merger plan

Fishermen, islanders, and other stakeholders in Bantry Bay have been urged to make submissions, before next weekend’s deadline, on the planned merger of the local harbour authority with the Port of Cork.

With the transfer of 11 harbour boards countrywide to local authority control, the West Cork body is the only remaining regional harbour authority operating under the Harbours Act of 1946.

The Department of Transport has insisted the merger will help to develop the bay — which includes an oil storage terminal on Whiddy Island.