Marina project given approval in principle

The Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, has given approval in principle for a marina in the Connemara harbour of Round stone.

A marina may also be built in Galway Bay close to the city, following discussions chaired yesterday by the Minister in Galway docks. Galway Bay Sailing Club has drawn up a proposal for a 100-berth public marina at Rinville harbour near Oranmore.

The project in Roundstone is a 20-berth marina, promoted by local tourism interests. The initial estimated cost is £733,000, but the final cost will depend on the outcome of a series of surveys which are due to be carried out soon. The Minister said grant-in-aid for the construction would come from an additional £4.5 million announced in the Budget last month for marine-access infrastructure projects. This is supplementary to £20 million allocated in the National Development Plan for marine tourism. Connacht's first marina is expected to be built at Rosses Point, Sligo, next year.

Officials from the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources have already discussed the project with the promoters, and the exact level of grant-in-aid will be "computed" once "definitive costs are to hand", the Minister said.

Galway Bay Sailing Club's proposal for a marina near its club at Rinville harbour was discussed at yesterday's meeting attended by the Minister, harbour master Capt Brian Sheridan, and local tourism, sailing and business interests. The club argues that Rinville, 15 minutes from Galway city centre, is non-tidal and a "centrepiece for marine leisure activity on the west coast". There are mixed views on the location of a marina in Galway, with some business interests preferring the tidal docks/Claddagh basin area, given the proximity to the city.