This article is from page 23 of the 2011-03-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 23 JPG
OVERCROWDING at the existing pier in Doolin is becoming an increasing safety hazard, both for tourists and water users according to the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard, who use the pier to launch their rescue crafts.
The existing pier is also believed to be too close in the shore-line, meaning that in the case of an emergency a docking boat would not have time to stop before it washes up on the rocks off the pier.
“When the new pier will be built all of the commercial traffic will be able to work off the new pier which will leave the existing pier and slipway for the use of the coastguard and leisure users – so it will take a huge amount of traffic off the existing pier and make things much safer for those using it,” said Mattie Shannon of the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard.
“The coastguard would be very concerned about the amount of traffic that is currently operating off the pier as it now stands – not just for our own sake but also for the safety of the tens of thousands of tourists who will be using the pier during the summer months. It would be much better from a safety position if the new pier was allowed to go ahead.”
According to Niall Hughes of the Doolin Community Harbour Co-op, there is a large market from leisure craft owners, scuba diving and other sea uses to access the pier at Doolin.
“The existing harbour is too shallow and it dries out at low tide and the situation now is that there are so many people coming in and out at high tide that the pier gets overwhelmed.
“The pier is far too small for the needs of the community. It has gotten to the stage now that it is nearly all commercial boats coming in now and there is no room for leisure boats – but there is a big demand for leisure boats,” he said.
“There is a huge demand from scuba clubs, families, people who go fishing – to use the pier from a leisure point of view.
“If we have this deep water pier it means that the commercial boats can have safe access at all stages during the tide and the old pier can be used solely for leisure based activities. This is down to safety, there is just not enough space for everyone who wants to use the pier.”