When a Mayo Fine Gael senator spoke out recently about missed opportunities on the west coast, he was not really talking about tourism or marine food. A deep-sea port in the north-west was vital for development of our untapped energy resources, Mr Ernie Caffrey said.
Galway, the only regional port of any size, was land-locked, he said, and incapable of any further development. He trumpeted the cause of Killala Bay, just seven miles north of Ballina.
Whatever about north Mayo's approaches, several west coast harbours have other ideas. Killybegs in south Donegal has begun to look to a future beyond its multi-million-pound industry based on mackerel, and Foynes in Co Limerick already has a well-developed infrastructure. "No one is going to pour £40 million in here," said Mr Tom O'Neill, Galway port's chief executive. And he has not been sending out too many begging letters either. Mr O'Neill's new port company, established under the Harbours Act, has not been sitting on its hands, however. "We are in confident times," his chairman, Mr Conor Connolly, said. There have been two record years back-to-back, and the 500,000tonne barrier was broken in 1996.
Used almost exclusively for importing oil, coal and fertiliser, the port is restricted by space and by the fact that it is tidal. Rights of way mean that the public has full access, and the Long Walk is witnessing substantial redevelopment.
The harbourmaster, Capt Frank Sheridan, who is a sailor and a member of the RNLI, does not have a fishing fleet or significant ferry fleet to deal with, as the bulk of the fishing fleet, and competitive Aran Isle ferry traffic, works out of Rossaveal further west. He does have other demands, though, including pilotage. Most harbourmasters are not expected to use their pilot's licences; but, until an extra body is taken on next month, Capt Sheridan will continue to go to sea.
Despite rumours to the contrary about the Mutton Island sewage plant development, the port has no major plans to develop its physical infrastructure, its chief executive said. Mutton Island was earmarked before, but that was some time ago. "In 1856 there was an approach to the then lord lieutenant to build a new harbour there, but this was opposed by the merchants of Dublin and Liverpool because they feared losing the mail trade," Mr O'Neill said.
What Galway has been doing is building on existing resources, and looking farther out to sea. Three days ago it signed a contract for two new warehouses, each capable of handling 3,000 tonnes of material. Planning permission has been lodged for six additional units which will allow for 24,000 tonnes in total. Its new enterprise park on a 40-acre site already offers open storage and warehousing. It is seeking tenders for new offices, which should be in place by Christmas.
The port also offers proximity offshore mineral fields and exploration blocks, namely, the Porcupine basin and the Erris and Slyne troughs. It is no stranger to the business of servicing exploration companies, Mr O'Neill said.
It dealt with several leading international corporations in the late 1970s and early 1980s. From 1977 to 1981 the port authorities and related service and supply contractors met the demands of Elf Aquitaine, Deminex, Total and others. Despite the tidal restrictions it handled up to seven supply vessels at a time.
The city already has a good foundation for this sort of business, he said. The sheltered bay allows for safe anchorage about 3,000 feet south-west of Mutton Island, and is ideal for stacking rigs in winter. The Martin Ryan Marine Science Institute at the NUI Galway, has direct links with some of the exploration companies, and its department of oceanography, headed by Prof Michael Orren, includes specialist chemists and oceanographers.
The Galway institute has undertaken detailed analysis of the west coast's physical oceanography, a subject which will be dealt with at the Marine Institute Metocean conference in Dublin Castle today, and has conducted wave-height measurements using a buoy off the Aran Islands.
The university's sub-aqua club has first-class divers, and University College Hospital Galway, which has been earmarked for a £120 million expansion plan, includes the only recompression chamber in Ireland and a helipad.
Enterprise Oil is already examining ports on the west, but one of these, Killybegs, requires an investment of £22 million, Mr O'Neill pointed out. Dredging is no big headache in Galway, and the new causeway for the sewage treatment plant will facilitate that, as will the plant itself, given the current accumulation of "organic material" on the approaches. As for a 24-hour service, his dock labour force has given an undertaking to match demand, he said.
On the potential for cruise ship business, as proposed by Galway Chamber of Commerce, Mr O'Neill is less enthusiastic. The company is a member of Cruise Ireland, an organisation set up in conjunction with Bord Failte. "But we could only deal with fairly small ships here. They would have to anchor in the bay, and passengers would have to be ferried in. Most cruise lines plan years in advance, and are already committed to Dublin, Waterford and Cork."
The one tourism-related possibility is a marina. An existing proposal for the Claddagh Basin was favoured by the former Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht minister, Mr Michael D. Higgins, but this plan is currently in limbo and is restricted to 37 berths. Once the new causeway is built to Mutton Island, there would be natural shelter for a larger development on the leeward side, a western link to the south-western chain provided by Dingle, Fenit and Kilrush.