‘Labour intensive’ work at harbour

THE Decision by the Department of the Marine to approve grant aid of €52,500 to Sligo County Council for the repair and reconstruction of a section of Mullaghmore Harbour which was damaged in recent storms has been welcomed by Councillor Declan Bree who says the work will be quite labour intensive.

“THIS grant aid will now allow the Council to proceed to with its proposals to repair and refurbish the damaged portion of the harbour. The total estimated cost of the work is €70,000. The grant from the Department will cover 75 per cent of the cost and it is a condition of the grant that the Council will provide the balance of 25 per cent of the funding.” said Cllr Bree.

“The North pier of Mullaghmore Harbour was damaged significantly by recent storms. In addition some lesser damage was caused to the South Pier. I highlighted the issue at recent meetings of the Council and Municipal District, as boat owners and residents of Mullaghmore had contacted me to express their concerns about the damage. They are anxious to see the necessary repairs and restoration work carried out as soon as possible. Mullaghmore harbour is an achievement in engineering and it has withstood heavy seas and storms for almost 200 years. It is listed as a Protected Structure in our County Development Plan, having been designed by the famous Alexander Nimmo and constructed and extended between the years 1828 and 1842. In this context the repair and refurbishment work will require specialist attention and it will also be labour intensive, hence the significant cost.”