A NORTH Clare councillor has confirmed that €6 million has been allocated for the development of Doolin Pier and that work could begin on the project later this year.

According to Councillor Richard Nagle, money for the work was recently allocated from the Department of Finance to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
“In the past, we have been promised the money but it never arrived. On this occasion, it is allocated and available and the council is proceeding on that basis,” the Fianna Fáil councillor stated. 
Councillor Nagle has been campaigning for works to be carried out on the project for a number of years and he says, “The aim would be to get to working on the project before the end of the year.
“The existing pier is totally inadequate. It doesn’t provide the access the ferries require. There is severe congestion up there with only one ferry able to dock at the pier at a time and because of the ferry’s dependence on the tides, their sailings are irregular at best,” he claimed.
The funds allocated for the work will be divided into two blocks of €3 million, one for this year and one for 2011, according to Councillor Nagle who also believes that the effects of the money will be twofold.
“Doolin is one of the county’s premier tourist destinations. It needs first-class facilities, this project will not alone benefit Doolin, it will benefit tourism across North Clare and throughout the county,” he said.
“With proper facilities, I have no doubt but that visitor numbers between Doolin and the Aran Islands will increase dramatically. This will increase the number of visitors in the area and make Doolin the main departure and arrival point for people visiting the Aran Islands,” Councillor Nagle continued.
“At a time when large numbers of people are unemployed in construction, the development of new facilities in Doolin will provide badly needed employment in construction and hopefully, whoever gets the contract from the work will employ as many local people as possible,” he concluded.
Local company Garrihy’s Doolin2Aran Ferries has said that the funding for the upgrade of Doolin Pier and amenities will lead to an enhancement of facilities and will be good for business.
“We are looking forward to developing our business in line with the new pier and we are confident that this new service will bring a huge boost to tourism in the region,” commented company director, Eugene Garrihy.
Clare TD and Fine Gael deputy spokesman on foreign affairs, Pat Breen welcomed news of the pier funding but urged the Government to “complete the final piece of the infrastructural jigsaw for Doolin by providing the funding for the necessary development of the sewerage scheme”.
“Tourism is the lifeblood of the economy of Doolin and there are a number of tourist amenities on its doorstep, Lahinch, Aillwee Caves and the Cliffs of Moher and the development of pier will also facilitate access from Doolin to the Aran Islands. Now that the pier and the local coastguard facility are to be upgraded and developed, the final part of the infrastructural jigsaw is the necessary development of the sewerage scheme for Doolin,” he said.
“Over 3,000 tourists visit Doolin every summer and they desperately need this infrastructure. The entire area is dependent on the successful completion of this sewerage scheme to complement tourism and I would urge the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government John Gormley to make sure that the necessary funding is provided in the 2010 Water and sewerage Services allocation,” Deputy Breen concluded.