Inishmurray facility urgent
TRANSPORT Minister Shane Ross must urgently provide a suitable landing facility at Inishmurray Island.
That’s according to Councillor Declan Bree who reinforced the need for adequate mooring facilities at the April meeting of Sligo County Council.
It was on foot of a recent letter from the Marine Survey Office of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to licensed boat owners informing them that travel to the island that is no longer allowed due to safety concerns over embarking and disembarking at the island.
Moving his motion Cllr Bree said he was “at a loss to understand why this warning and threat of prosecution has been issued by the Department.”
“Boat operators and people involved in the local tourism trade in north Sligo are shocked at this move which comes at a time when Sligo is attempting to grow the numbers of tourists visiting the area,” Cllr Bree told members.
“For 1,500 years inhabitants of the island and people visiting the island embarked and disembarked at the natural harbours at the island, particularly at Clashymore.
“To my knowledge, in living memory there has never been a fatality or serious injury to anyone while embarking or disembarking at the island,” he said, adding that descendants of inhabitants and visitors were now blocked from the island.
“I believe there is now an onus on the Department and on Minister Shane Ross, to provide a suitable landing facility as a matter of urgency,” he said.
Cathaoirleach Councillor Seamus Kilgannon spoke of the “concern in the area” at this latest news and said it could have an impact on tourism.
He also acknowledged that it may “take some time to improve the facilities on the island.”
Cllr Hubert Keaney stressed that it was “a serious situation” while Cllr Thomas Healy said that it was important that the island remained open to the general public.
Cllr Rosaleen O’Grady described her own personal experience of travelling to the island which she says was made easy by the boat owners, and said it was a “most wonderful monastic site.”
Council Chief Executive Ciarán Hayes said that it would be appropriate if a survey was undertaken of temporary works that may be needed in the short-term, as well as looking at the long-term solution for embarking and disembarking on the island.