Fears are raised that Sligo Port will soon be forced to close to commercial shipping

Sligo Harbour’s days as a commercial port appear to be numbered, a local councillor said this week as he warned that he now believes it is inevitable the port will close unless major action to remove silt from it by dredging.

Cllr Declan Bree said the only conclusion he can come to now, having had sight of a damning report on Sligo Harbour, is that it will soon be unable to accommodate larger commercial shipping vessels unless a major – and costly – dredging programme is put into action. The report confirmed there have been massive increases in silt levels at the harbour.

Cllr Bree further warned that the report says potential dredging of Sligo Harbour is not currently a viable project.

The Independent Sligo Councillor further claimed that he and his council colleagues had been “misled” by contradictory information contained in two reports he had been given which were just four months apart from each other. The reports, he said, offered very different views of what the situation with silt build-up in the harbour was.

“I am just looking at the reports we have received. I have a report from four months ago in front of me that says: ‘In a recent seabed survey we can now report that the volumes of silt in the harbour are essentially the same as they were in 2011’. Four months later we receive a report saying the silt level has doubled. Looking back at the report from four months ago it states: ‘we are advised that the dredging cost could be up to €5.5million’. Four months later we have a report saying we have extensive dredging costs for the harbour which would cost €10million for full dredging. Now, I have to say I don’t find that acceptable. It is shocking that we are being misled as councillors, as elected representatives, and people in the community. It is not acceptable. I don’t know what figures to believe,” he said.

Commenting on the issue sin relation to the harbour, the Chief Executive of Sligo County Council, Martin Lydon, said he simply did not know if Sligo port was viable or not. He told members that work on developing a ‘master plan’ for the harbour was going to begin. Mr Lydon said: “There is no doubt the harbour is an important asset to Sligo but is it economically viable? I don’t know.

Cllr Declan Bree.

I honestly don’t know. No use me saying I do, or I don’t, because I don’t. But what I do know is that there is a need for a master plan for that harbour.

“We will be spending the rest of this year working up the terms of reference with all the interested partners in relation to that harbour. We will be coming back to everyone to see what should come into that master plan and we will then be looking to go to tender with that plan early next year. So, then we will know exactly what we want to do with the harbour and also have all the stakeholders interests inputted into that master plan so when we do inform the members again, we will have absolute clarity as to where the harbour is going and what can make it produce the jobs and make it economically viable.

“That’s what we will be looking to do, put together this master plan because there is no use going to the market unless you have a master plan.”

Earlier Cllr Bree had asked Sligo County council management to outline its proposals for the retention, development and improvement of the port when he tabled a motion at the recent meeting of Sligo County Council.

In a motion he tabled he said he noted “with alarm” the revelation that silt volumes at Sligo harbour have nearly doubled in the period since the last underwater survey in 2011. He said that conscious of the fact Sligo is the only working port between Galway and Derry (apart from Killybegs Fishery Harbour) and noting that it is an objective of the Council to retain the port as a viable infrastructural and commercial entity supported by port-related industries and/or business activities, he wants to know what the council are going to do to improve and develop the port.

A reply from Sligo County Council stated that the retention of Sligo Port as a commercial working port and its development and improvement is dependent on the ability to dredge the harbour in the next few years. The report stated: “There are extensive costs in dredging the harbour - €10m for full dredging of the harbour and navigation channel, to facilitate larger vessels, and €2.5m for a reduced dredging system, including the quays, turning circle and a short length of channel, to continue current operations.

“There are no Government funding streams available for projects in regional commercial harbours, which includes Sligo.

“The nearly doubling of silt volumes since 2011, would also require a new ‘dumping at sea permit’ and a new Foreshore licence would be required for the works. The cost of preparing these two applications would be approximately €150,000.”

The council added: “The above needs to be considered in an overall future plan for the Harbour area.”

Unhappy with the reply and the report, which he said flew in the face of another report which indicated silt volumes were not such an issue, he said he was “astonished and dismayed when I read the dredging report on Sligo Harbour which was recently presented to members of the Harbour Advisory Committee”. The report states that last year’s underwater surveys show silt volumes at the quays have nearly doubled since the last survey in 2011 – from 5,500cu m to 9,600cu m. It states that because of the increased volumes of silt a new ‘Dumping at Sea’ permit will be required.

Cllr Bree said the report “points out that the Foreshore Licence for dredging which was granted to the Council in 2014 is now expired and it says that an application for a new license will take at least 18 months to prepare and will cost in the region of €100,000 in consultants fees, studies and site investigations It states the full dredging of the harbour and navigation channel would cost close to €10 million, and a reduced dredging scheme for a turning circle and a short length of the channel would cost just under €2 million. And even more disquieting, it says the potential dredging of Sligo Harbour is not currently a viable project.”

He said in essence the message “we are now receiving is that Sligo port will soon be closed for commercial shipping,” adding: “What really disturbs me is the fact that previous reports we received on the harbour were quite positive.”

“In January of last year, when I asked for a report we were told of the 30% increase in shipping in the port in the period 2016 to 2020, we were told that the cost of any dredging operation would be significant, we were told that a new seabed survey was proposed and we were told that the Council was actively engaging and negotiating with shipping agents to expand the shipping market further in 2021 and beyond.

“In December last, just four months ago, when I sought a progress report and an update on the seabed survey we were provided with a positive report which said the new seabed survey indicated that the volumes of silt in the harbour channel was essentially the same as they were in 2011 when the last seabed survey was carried out.

“I recollect expressing pleasure and relief in response to the news that the volumes of silt had not increased since the previous survey. I also commented on the estimated cost of potential dredging, and I mentioned the possibility of seeking EU grant aid as policies were being developed for low carbon transport infrastructure. “And now we have this shocking report telling us that silt volumes have almost doubled, and that dredging is not a viable project.

“I have to admit I am at a loss to understand why we are being provided with such contradictory reports.”

He said that when the Council took over the port, they received a report from the Council management stating clearly that they considered that the operation of the port in terms of shipping and property management was economically viable and that report went on to state that the Council was satisfied that it could secure the development of the harbour in terms of shipping and as a driver of the economic development of the region.

He added: “It is an objective in this Council’s Development Plan to retain the port as a viable infrastructural and commercial entity, supported by port-related industries and/or business activities. In the Spatial and Economic Strategy for this region it states that while the significance of Sligo Port in national terms may be low it remains important in the regional and local economy”

Ciarán Quinn, Saorise McLoughlin, Heather Egan, Failenn McLoughlin attend the Foróige Leadership for Life graduation in NUIG

FOUR teens from St Johns GAA Club in Carraroe graduated from the Dermot Earley Youth Leadership Initiative. The programme is a partnership between Foróige and the GAA and accredited by the National University of Galway. They were awarded with a Foundation Certificate in Youth Leadership and Community Action in NUIG on April 2.

315 young people graduated from across the entire country having completed the Foróige Leadership for Life Programme. By completing the programme, these young leaders learned valuable skills that they will use now and in their future lives. They also used their skills to make a difference in their own communities

by completing community action projects.

Ciarán Quinn, Saorise McLoughlin, Heather Egan, Failenn McLoughlin were the young people from Sligo to attend the graduation in NUIG.

Some of the projects undertaken involved spearheading campaigns to raise awareness for issues such as climate change, mental health and equality. Others brought their communities together by organising events and social gatherings. Speaking at the graduation, Seán Campbell, CEO of Foróige said “The Leadership for Life Programme is an opportunity for young people to harness their leadership skills in a way that can be life changing. They learn

critical thinking, problem solving, empathy, resilience, self-reflection, teamwork and great communication skills in a safe, supportive and fun environment.”

“Every year we witness the remarkable difference this programme makes to young people and communities right across Ireland. Foróige is immensely proud of the Leadership for Life Programme, of the volunteers, staff and partners who deliver it and of our ground-breaking partnership with NUI Galway. But today is all about the graduates and I congratulate each and every one of you for your immense achievement - I can’t wait to see where your leadership journey takes you from here.”