A chara, - I am alarmed at the proposed plans of the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Authority for the harbour in Dun Laoghaire. The local council has granted permission for the construction of a huge marina-type structure (berthage for approx. 680 sailing craft and two rock armoured breakwaters) to be built in the harbour, which will change and damage the natural aspect of our beautiful seascape. Everything about our harbour will be changed through this plan, which will seriously disadvantage the public in Dun Laoghaire.
The new proposed arrangements for the harbour will: Ruin the seascape and the unique architectural heritage of the harbour. Deprive the public of the pleasure and peace associated with the harbour. Increase very considerably the traffic on our already traffic congested road system. Provide little economic benefit to the area in terms of jobs in tourism, or even servicing seacraft. The tourism and employment aspects of building a marina appear not to have been considered at all. The harbour has simply been handed over with little thought for the economy of the area. It will not create sustainable employment, or make any significant impact on the local economy. It was a very simple solution for a harbour authority which is totally lacking in any sense of business, vision or enterprise. It will also hand over a public amenity for private use and enjoyment to small groups, who would be considered to be privileged in our society. Community groups (e.g. St Michael's Rowing Club), and enterprises (e.g. the sailing school), who work with the general public have been ignored and forgotten. It is said that it will take away already scarce parking space in Dun Laoghaire from the locals and from the park and ride people who are using public transport, thus alleviating our traffic problems. This suggestion, which came from the chairman of the harbour company, I find incredible, but it does give me a sense of the thrust of the project, and the seeming disregard for the general public.
What is extraordinary is that we, the general public, have been given the minimum of information about this major project, which will impact disastrously on life and living in Dun Laoghaire.
I am not against change, economic progress, or development in our area. However, the cost to the public of this development is too high. The harbour is a valued and valuable amenity which must not be handed over to people, who already control a considerable area of the foreshore. Our harbour will be covered by a large ugly structure which will rob the public of a beautiful expanse of water. The public fishing from the piers, which is a great joy to young and old, will almost certainly disappear. The public, unlike the yacht clubs and the people whom the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company will bring in, will not be able to sail out to sea to fish and enjoy the pleasures of the sea. We were told that the local clubs which use the harbour would be facilitated. This has not happened.
Why have our politicians been so silent on this major development in Dun Laoghaire? Surely they read the environmental impact study? Even the developers expected to be seriously challenged on the traffic, and the change in the landscape aspects of the plan. There were many other areas where the developers did not expect to get such an easy ride. Where were the protectors of the public interest?
The traffic study which is to be undertaken after the development of the first phase offers little protection. Many of us think that even this will not happen. The developers will find a way around it, and all the time the traffic and pollution will get worse. It is difficult to believe that a traffic study/ survey was not undertaken before permission was granted.
This project has been foisted on an unsuspecting public. It will be interesting to hear the reasons for it from the harbour board, and the decision makers. - Yours, etc., David Fitzgerald,
Dun Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.