Dingle dredge delays ‘hitting tourism’

Delays in carrying out dredging works at one of the country’s best-known fishing ports and tourist areas are hampering economic development, it has been claimed.

Larger vessels, including cruise liners, would be able to berth in Dingle, Co Kerry, if the harbour was deepened, a meeting of Kerry County Council heard yesterday.

However, upwards of a dozen ferries which take visitors to see Fungi — the dolphin who has been a major tourist attraction in Dingle for more than 30 years — are relatively light craft and are therefore able to operate as normal. Dingle Fine Gael councillor Séamus Cosaí Fitzgerald said the harbour had been “in limbo” for many years, which stagnated the area’s economy.

In the last 20 years, a breakwater, a 40-berth marina, as well as dry dock and net storage facilities had been provided, but the harbour needs to be deepened to allow bigger boats in and out.

Recently, a local quarry had a contract to supply 30,000 tonnes of special stone to a customer in England, but vessels collecting the stone could only access the pier in high water, or high tide, he said.

“Cruise liners cannot come into the harbour at present, but if they could drop their passengers in the town it would be a big boost to the local economy,” said Mr Fitzgerald.

Proposing that the Department of Agriculture and the Marine be asked to provide funding to dredge the harbour, he also asked the council contact the relevant minister, Simon Coveney.

Fianna Fáil councillor Michael O’Shea said the situation should be treated as urgent. Council chief executive Moira Murrell said Dingle Harbour had the potential to help in economic development and came within the council’s job-creation objectives.