Community to gain from Bull Island initiative

THERE was good news for Northsiders last week when Dublin Port Company announced a proposal to transfer its ownership of a significant and strategic portion of Bull Island to Dublin City Council.

The Port Company will partner with Dublin City Council and Fáilte Ireland in a feasibility study for a new interpretative centre and international visitor experience at the UNESCO designated Bull Island biosphere. It will also contribute towards the development of a masterplan for Bull Island following the conclusion of the study.

In addition, Dublin Port Company will allocate up to e1.2 million towards the cost of the study, masterplan and new services or facilities identified for Bull Island.

The proposal will be included as a community gain element to Dublin Port Company’s planning application to provide new and deeper berths in the Alexandra Basin and on the river towards the east of Dublin Port.

This is the first significant project for development under the company’s Masterplan, which provides the framework for the future development of Dublin Port to 2040.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar, commended Dublin Port Company for its initiative.

“Dublin Port Company’s gift to the people of Dublin will be welcomed by all and remembered for generations,

? said Minister Varadkar.

Eamonn O’Reilly, chief executive of Dublin Port Company, said:

“The Bull Island community gain initiative is an important element of our first major Masterplan project.

?

Dublin city manager Owen Keegan said Dublin City Council welcomed the

“valuable contribution

? from Dublin Port Company to the conservation and enhancement of Bull Island.

North Inner City councillor Nial Ring (Ind) said news of the handover shows corporate social responsibility at its best.

Dublin Bay North TDs Sean Kenny (Lab) and Terence Flanagan (FG) also welcomed the announcement.

“Bull Island is a much-loved amenity in Dublin Bay North and it is an important area of conservation,

? said Deputy Flanagan.

“I’m confident this news will be welcomed by local residents.

?

Dublin Port Company is encouraging local and wider Dublin communities to share their views on the

‘community gain’ proposal for Bull Island by Friday, October 18. Specific questions to guide submissions can be found at www.dublinportabr.ie Interested parties are invited to make their submissions to [email protected] or Charlie Murphy, Dublin Port Company, Alexandra Road, Dublin 1.