Woods denies claims over marina move is political

The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods, has denied claims that party politics is influencing moves to halt a 330-berth marina project in Lough Swilly, Co Donegal.

An independent Donegal county councillor, Mr Jim Devenney, finds it strange that support for a 10-year effort by a local company to build the marina at Fahan has suddenly been withdrawn.

The changed attitude coincided with a Fianna Fail-backed proposal that Donegal County Council spend up to £10 million on marina developments on the lough, Mr Devenney says.

The Minister is now threatening court action against the Fahan marina developer, Figary Water Sport Development Company, unless it complies with a prohibitory notice served on April 18th, which prevents removal of beach material of any kind in the area.

Donegal County Council has also expressed "serious concern" about an "unauthorised" development at Fahan, while BirdWatch Ireland, which is worried about the effect on the Fahan Creek wetland system, has urged the Minister to stop the work by issuing a court injunction.

It says the creek is an integral part of the Lough Swilly-Inch Lake wetland system which supports an internationally important number of Greenland whitefronted geese, greylag geese and whooper swans.

The proposed marina on the Swilly dates back over 10 years, when Catherine and Pat Heaney of Figary Water Sport sought and were granted planning permission for a structure at Fahan - location for the local sailing club and a well-known anchorage for cruising yachts.

As part of the planning application, two environmental impact studies were carried out, Mrs Heaney says.

The company also applied for a foreshore lease, but this took six years to obtain from the Department of the Marine.

As a result, a £400,000 grant from the International Fund for Ireland was lost, she says, and her husband suffered two heart attacks due to the stress.

The project was revived this year when the company took in two new partners.

No payment for the foreshore lease had been made in the interim, but a meeting was held with the Minister in February and an offer was made to pay rent from January.

Mrs Heaney said the Minister had given the company a "verbal agreement" to proceed. It was also aware that Donegal County Council's marina committee, chaired by Fianna Fail councillor Mr Bernard McGlinchey had put forward proposals for a marina at Rathmullan and a pontoon at Buncrana.

Referring to BirdWatch Ireland's concerns, she said the sensitive mudflat area was southside of the pier, whereas her development was northside.

Mr Devenney said there had been a groundswell of support for the Fahan marina, given that the location is synonymous with sailing.

Rathmullan and Buncrana were far more exposed locations, and it was curious that the local authority's marina plans coincided with a two-phase project to run ferry services between Magilligan, Co Derry, and Greencastle, Co Donegal, and between Buncrana and Rathmullan. "Certain politicians seem to be trying to make the most of this development," he said.

A spokesman for Dr Woods said he had at all times been diligent in ensuring that the marina development proposed by Figary Water Sport was examined on its own merits.

He had met company representatives and as recently as last Tuesday the Department had written to the company inviting it to cease physical work on the development and meet officials in a further attempt to resolve these issues, the spokesman said.