'Necklace of marinas' a step closer in plan

The vision of the former Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, of a "necklace of marinas" around this coastline has been taken a few stages further with initiation of an EU- and State-funded programme to boost marine leisure.

The National Development Plan (NDP) programme could result in investment of over €40 million in water-based tourism and leisure projects, the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Fahey, said in Galway yesterday.

The Border, Midland and Western (BMW) region is likely to benefit from up to €24 million of this investment, as the Marine Institute has identified the west coast from Clare to Donegal as a "prime location" for development, the Minister noted.

State investment is expected to amount to €25.4 million under the overall programme, which allows for private-sector involvement. The South and East region will attract over €15 million worth, the Minister said yesterday.

"Major investment will focus on developing high-quality integrated water-based tourism and leisure 'clusters' at a targeted number of sites," the Minister said. Ideally, there should be existing accommodation and other tourist activities in the area, he said.

The decision by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in Britain to host the Admiral's Cup yacht race in Ireland next year, based at Dún Laoghaire marina, is an example of the spin-off from such marina developments, the Minister said. He expected to receive applications from promoters in areas like Galway, Westport and Ballina in Co Mayo and in Donegal, while many more locations would be suitable for smaller-scale developments, he said.

Extra State funding of €5.7 million was allocated last year by the Minister to support marina developments in Roundstone, Co Galway, Rosses Point in Sligo and Cahirciveen and Kenmare in Co Kerry. Plans have been drawn up for at least two more in Galway docks and at Renville, near Oranmore. The Minister said that a county like Galway which has 197 sea access points could sustain as many as seven or eight projects.

A Marine Institute study published by the Minister yesterday suggests there should be sheltered moorings/marinas at least every 100 miles around the coast and recommends that there should be suitable access points every 25-50 miles.

The report, entitled Guidelines for Planning and Marina Development, identifies 15 locations for large- and medium-scale marina developments and a further 64 locations for smaller-scale developments.

The NDP Marine Tourism and Leisure programme is part of the NDP's tourism measure for 2002 to 2006, and the BMW and South and East regional operational programmes. The BMW region (incorporating the coastal counties of Louth, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal) will benefit from €17.78m of grant aid available at rates of up to 75 per cent of project costs. This could generate potential investment of up to €23.71 million, the Department of the Marine estimates.

The South and East region (Clare, Meath, Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford. Waterford, Cork and Kerry) will receive up to €7.62 million of grant aid available at rates of up to 50 per cent of project costs, generating investment of up to €15.24 million, according to the Department.

Applications for the funding are to be vetted by a project assessment committee chaired by Mr Paul Carey of Carey Developments in Galway.