Early 2013 for Doolin Pier decision

***The year in review***

THE future of a new pier at Doolin will not become clear until early 2013 when An Bord Pleanála will decide whether the project, as proposed, can go ahead.
Clare County Council gave the go ahead for a new €5 million pier at Ballaghaline, Doolin in March 2011 under a Part Eight proposal but this was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by The West Coast Surf Club. The board decided an environmental impact statement was required and requested it the following September.
The existing Doolin Pier is tidal and is one of the busiest piers in the country for passenger traffic. The EIS described it as exposed, too small for the number and variety of users and is frequently congested. It added that the existing pier is “not fit for purpose”.
There were a large number of submissions in relation to the planned development amid concerns it would adversely affect surfing in the area and represent a health and safety hazard. The EIS stated the proposed pier would not have a significant impact on the waves at Crab Island and potentially a minor impact on the waves at Ballaghaline Point. While one of the most popular access points would be lost as a result of the proposed development, a series of steps and platforms will be built to lead to an alternative access point.
In 2012, the board received the EIS and held an oral hearing in Ennistymon in October at which those who had made submissions in relation to the appeal, referral or application got their chance to speak.
There were mixed views with a representative of the West Coast Surf Club saying they would like to see the pier developed but not at the expense of “what we hold dear to our hearts”.
The primary concerns outlined by the appellants at the hearing related to the impact this proposed development would have on the waves at Crab Island and Ballaghaline Point and the negative impact it would have on surfing there. The club said it was not anti-development and added it was “abundantly clear” that a new pier in Doolin is needed.
“Our core issue is the wave modelling and the issues we raised in our submission are still in place,” a representative of the club outlined. He stated the club has six primary points arising from the wave modelling carried out by consultants on behalf of the local authority. The club claimed the swell data compiled is “incomplete” and could have taken into account a multiplicity of factors. The group felt the modelling was not reflective of “what actually happens” and in the club’s opinion, they deemed “the model invalid”.
In their presentation to An Bord Pleanála, Clare County Council outlined that wave modelling was undertaken in three stages. A consultant, acting for the local authority, stated, “It was felt that the analysis showed that for the majority of the surf situations, the impacts were deemed ‘likely to be small and insignificant’.
“Where impacts might be considered significant, the water levels are higher than those generally surfed,” he concluded.
Also making submissions at the oral hearing were North Clare County Councillor Richard Nagle; Mike Fitzsimons of Inland Fisheries Ireland; Mattie Shannon, station officer with the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard; Bill O’Brien of O’Brien Line Ferries; Eugene Garrihy, Doolin2Aran Ferries and Paddy Crowe of Combar Caomhan Inis Oírr.
Councillor Richard Nagle submitted to the board that this area of North Clare has suffered “severe de-population” due to emigration and stated the two primary industries locally are farming and tourism. He stressed that the development of a new pier is a vital part of the tourism infrastructure and the delay in its provision is forcing more and more young people out of the country to seek employment.
“It is imperative we provide employment that we so badly need,” he concluded.
An Bord Pleanála heard the financial benefits of the existing pier to Doolin and Inis Oírr is in the order of €11m, while domestic surfers spend approximately €3,000 annually.
In a witness statement given at the hearing, Raymond Burke, consulting for Clare County Council, outlined the socio-economic impact of the proposed new pier.
“The number of surfers annually at Doolin, incorporating Crab Island, Ballaghaline Point and Doolin Point, is generally reported to be small. Our interviews suggest that no more than 100 surfers would have visited Doolin for each of the last two years. Our discussions with locals and surfers have found generally that Irish and domestic surfers are not large spenders. Many are day-trippers leaving home early in the morning and returning late in the evening. Excluding travel and any accommodation costs, day trippers would spend about €30 per visit. On that basis, direct surfing tourism spend annually for every 100 domestic surfers is in the order of €3,000, much of which is expended in neighbouring towns, rather than in Doolin,” he said.
In his report, Mr Burke estimated that the total direct tourism value of the pier to Doolin and Inis Oírr would be of the order of €11m. This was broken down with ferry income from fares being calculated at €1.1m, ferry tourist spend in Doolin at €4.5m and ferry tourist spend in Inis Oírr at €5.4m.
He added that as some of the benefits arise outside of Doolin and Inis Oírr, there is a leakage effect and allowing for this, he estimated the total direct, indirect and induced economic impact is of the order of €13.1m.
Mr Burke said this economic impact supports some 130 full-time equivalent positions in Doolin and in Inis Oírr. In his profile of Doolin, he noted that surfing, when it takes place, does so primarily at Crab Island some 400m off-shore, with a secondary location at Ballaghaline Point, often confused with Doolin Point, where surfing has been very seldom seen, according to local people.
“Discussions with local people indicate that the number of surfers annually at Crab Island is small. It has been indicated that during 2011, the number of times surfers were observed surfing there did not exceed 10 or so and that the number of surfers seen at any one time could also be up to about 10, which would be the limit given the type of wave that there is at Doolin. Very few surfers have been observed at Ballaghaline Point,” he said.
Analysing the importance of the ferry service to the economy of Inis Oírr, Mr Burke said, “Tourism is now the main business of the island of Inis Oírr, replacing fishing and agriculture. The co-op estimates that Doolin provides up to 70% of Inis Oírr’s tourist trade.”
He told An Bord Pleanála Inis Oírr is already seeing a switch in some passenger trade from Doolin to Ros a Mhíl 110km away, where the ferries area is more modern and facilities much better.
In his summary, Mr Burke stressed the development of a new pier would generate significant benefits for the area.
An Bord Pleanála is to make a decision on the future of the pier early in 2013.