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.

Fine Gael councillor Michael Hegarty described the EPA delay as "unacceptable" and said if it continues, it could have a disastrous impact on the operations of the RNLI lifeboat based there as well as the local fishing industry and marine leisure industry.

Mr Hegarty noted how in August 2021 the county council lodged an application for a dumping license with the EPA. The watchdog subsequently came back to the local authority seeking further information, which was submitted to it in August last year.

He pointed out that almost a year on the council still hasn't received a decision and 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.

Mr Hegarty said:

The Port of Cork has a dumping license at the same location. I can’t understand the delay therefore. We will lose the money if the work isn’t completed or substantially completed by November 3. It takes four weeks to mobilise the equipment needed. This is really urgent.

He said he had been informed that the EPA’s current priority is to concentrate on applications for offshore windfarms farms. Mr Lucey said he had also been given the same information.

Independent councillor Marcia D’Alton said “it makes absolutely no sense” that the Port of Cork has a licence to dump material but the council can’t get one for exactly the same area.

“It’s getting a bit farcical when we can’t get a licence for this,” Fianna Fáil councillor Ann Marie Ahern said.

“It will be a sin if this (grant-aid) money is lost,” Independent councillor Mary Linehan-Foley said.

“This is just ludicrous, and it needs to be resolved,” added Fine Gael councillor Susan McCarthy.

Mr Lucey said the council is doing its best to get the matter resolved. "If we don’t get a licence then we’re in trouble. There is a very significant issue here. It would be rather unfortunate if we're not able to do the work," he said. 

Kinsale harbour

Meanwhile, Fine Gael councillor Kevin Murphy said Kinsale harbour is silting up badly and if this is not addressed soon it will cease to function properly, impacting the fishing industry, local yacht club and marine leisure industry.

“It really has silted up. It is so bad that shortly boats won’t be able to get into the marina. It won’t be long before Kinsale (harbour) stops functioning properly,” he added.

Mr Murphy also said he couldn't understand the licence delay in Ballycotton "as it's a shovel-ready project."