Funding for Ballycotton Harbour 'at risk' over EPA licence delay

Cork County Council heard that if this isn’t resolved quickly the government grant of €1.8m will be lost as there’s a timeframe set for completing the work

Ballycotton Harbour needs to be dredged by November 3 or else the council will lose the €1.8m grant.

Funding for a major dredging project in Ballycotton Harbour is at risk if the Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t grant a licence to dump the material at sea "as a matter of urgency".

Cork County Council boss Tim Lucey made the comment after a number of councillors complained that they couldn’t understand why the EPA is taking so long to make a decision. The site out at sea, which the council proposed as the dumping ground, is already licensed for the same purpose to the Port of Cork, the local representatives pointed out.