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Thursday, July 29, 2010
Will EU save the marina?
COUNCILLORS AND County Council officials have come together to seek European assistance to help save the stalled Courtown marina.
This week, MEP Nessa Childers visited the north Wexford seaside village to discuss the possibility of restarting the project which has been stalled since 2008 due to the economic recession.
Following her meeting with council officials and county councillors, Ms. Childers submitted a Parliamentary Question regarding the possibilities for getting financial assistance for marina facilities in Ireland.
In the question, seen by the Echo, Ms. Childers says: “Is there funding opportunities or other supports available from the European Union in order to assist in providing finance for the development of marina facilities in Ireland to enhance our tourism product?”
The Labour MEP pointed out that Ireland, as an island nation, is working to develop its infrastructure as a destination for sailing holidays.
“The development of marinas in a sustainable fashion at key locations around the coast of Ireland to accommodate sailing and boating activities would benefit from investment from a tourism and economic development point of view.”
Plans for a 230-berth marina in Courtown were unveiled in November 2008 and included apartments and retail units. The plans also included the construction of a breakwater off the south pier in the village.
(The County Council carried out a feasibility study which found that the marina had to be self-funding through sale of apartments and other units as there was no government funding for such developments.
Speaking this week, Director of Services with Wexford County Council, Niall McGuigan said: “It is currently not financially feasible but we hope for the best. We would be very eager for it to go ahead.”
Mr. McGuigan said that the project was on hold until either funding became available, an investor was found or a combination of both.
Speaking to the Echo this week, County Councillor Robbie Ireton, who invited Ms. Childers to come and see the plans, said the cost of the marina could be €15 million, but there was a possibility that it would be a lot less in the current economic environment.
Recently a group of locals and members of the council have set up a committee to try and find a way to advance the project and this is one more step on that ladder.
Ms. Childers, who is currently on holiday in the UK, was given a copy of all the plans for the marina and tabled her question to the European Commission following her meeting in Courtown.
A spokesperson for Ms. Childers told the Echo a response to the question would take some time because the Parliament was on summer recess at the moment.
Cllr. Ireton said the project could be moved forward as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) where an investor would purchase the land necessary for the construction of the marina and would be allowed run it for the first 15 years before handing it back to the council.
Cllr. Ireton said he was actively seeking people who were looking to invest in Courtown: “There are a lot of people out there who did well out of the boom and have the money to invest and I would urge them to do so.”
Cllr. Ireton also pointed out that the construction of such a project would help the local economy. “It would be a great help and a great boost to Courtown. It would create a hell of a lot of employment in the area and create a tourism boost.”
Cllr. Ireton, who operates a mobile home park in Courtown, said the summer season so far had been very quiet in the village with all businesses feeling the effects of the recession.
“There are not the numbers coming down. People don’t have the money to come down and they are rounding the wagons because they don’t know what the future holds.”
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