Dalkey residents seek resumption of island ferry service

THERE have been calls in Dalkey for the reinstatement of a small passenger ferry at a local harbour to generate tourism.

Residents are urging Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to permit the renewal of a licence for the ferry service that had transported visitors from Coliemore Harbour to the heritage attraction of Dalkey Island.

They also pointed out that a ferry service to the island, which locals regard as a public amenity, had been a long held tradition.

Licensing for the operation of the ferry service has traditionally been issued by the Marine Survey Office at the Department of Transport.

The council previously blocked the renewal of the licence for the ferry from Coliemore Harbour to Dalkey Island by objecting to the reinstatement of the service on health and safety grounds.

The council is currently progressing plans to improve the slipway on the island, which it maintains is not sufficiently safe to facilitate visitors arriving by boat.

The council also believes that the slipway at Coliemore Harbour is unsafe for use by ferry passengers but said it has no plans to carry out works at this location.

However, the local authority intends to conserve several heritage buildings on the island, including the 19th century Martello Tower and gun battery and the 9th century church of St Begnet.

The council says that subject to compliance with regulatory requirements, it is envisaged that these works, as well as repairs to the slipway, will begin next year.

The island forms an important part of Dalkey Village’s official heritage designation.

While residents broadly welcome the works outlined by the council, they are concerned that it has not proposed any definite plans for the reinstatement of the ferry service from Coliemore Harbour to Dalkey Island.

Local Sandycove resident Michael Kavanagh was partly responsible for organising a meeting of local residents and business owners recently on the matter.

He said locals are concerned because they have been led to believe that it is unlikely that passenger access from Coliemore Harbour will be permitted, even when the necessary improvements in access to the island are completed.

“We believe that access to the island should continue from Coliemore Harbour,

? he said.

“The service is an important part of the public amenities available to local people and the island’s antiquities are a central aspect of Dalkey’s status as a heritage town.

“It can be assumed also that following the restoration work to the heritage sites on the island, the numbers who will wish to access it are likely to increase significantly. This can be expected to bring more badly-needed business to the town in the context of increased local tourism.

?

Cllr Stephen Fitzpatrick (Lab) has also urged the council to clarify whether it intends to sanction the reinstatement of the ferry service.

“We need to get clarity from the council about whether Coliemore Harbour is safe and, secondly, if it isn’t safe what needs to be done to make it safe,

? he said.

“If it is safe we need to know if the ferry service can run with all the necessary safety requirements.

?

A spokesperson for the council said it will consider options in relation to ferry services to the island upon completion of slipway improvement works, due to commence in the spring of next year.

“The council has previously objected to the issue of a licence on health and safety grounds,

? the spokesperson said.

“The embarkation/disembarkation points at Coliemore Harbour and on Dalkey Island are, in the council’s opinion, currently unsafe for ferry operations and accordingly the council cannot authorise the operation of ferry service at these locations.

?