Coastguard left all at sea over site
THE decision of council management to renege on providing a site for the Coastguard in Kilmore Quay lead to a lengthy debate.
Councillors Ger Carthy and Lisa McDonald brought motions on the issue. Cllr Carthy called on the council to immediately reverse the decision of the executive not to gift a small parcel of land to the Coastguard to build a new purpose built station in the village. He said the decision has put the entire project in jeopardy. Cllr McDonald’s motion states that the council is disappointed at the withdrawal of the offer on the site, which had been agreed, to the OPW for the Coastguard, calling on the council to re-engage with the body and the OPW to execute the transfer of land as soon as possible.
Cllr Carthy said adjoining sites are adjacent to an area where a link road is due to be laid. He said the Coastguard team work around the clock saving lives. Cllr McDonald said the matter has been negotiated for three years, describing the move as sharp practise. She said it wasn’t acceptable for a public body to behave like this. Cllr McDonald said: ‘I don’t think it’s morally right that we should be sending them back to the drawingboard. There is no Land Registry issue and it’s strategically in the correct place.’
Cllr Jim Moore said he welcomed the momentum behind the campaign, saying the station is a decade in the making, adding that it is a source of ‘pure frustration’ for the members who are currently in less than satisfactory facility, with no water or sewerage. Calling for community engagement on the matter, he said: ‘It would be unfair of this council to adopt a policy wuthout taking due cognizances of the community.’
CEO Tom Enright said: ‘I can understand their frustration. We are here to try and help to make sure there is a proper site in Kilmore Quay. Unfortunately the site has issues and it may not fit into the bigger picture. We will sit down and show the Coastguard the sites we have so we can provide a piece of land very quickly that will allow a planning application to go ahead.’
He said the motion would not have any legal effect. ‘Is this a talking shop so,’ Cllr Carthy said.
‘You are saying our motions have no actual net effect,’ Cllr McDonald said. Following a lengthy debate councillors decided to defer the motions until the June meeting for full consideration.