By Diarmaid Doherty
A public meeting is to be held in Portsalon on Tuesday evening to help address local concerns at the ongoing closure of Portsalon Pier due to improvement works.
It had been intended that the work would be complete by the end of last October, but that date has now been pushed back until the end of March 2024 – in time for Easter.
Early last year, the Donegal News reported that locals in Portsalon had expressed anger at the news that the popular pier was to close on July 1 for over two months to allow for planned repairs to the pier.
Members of the local community said the timing of the planned works – right in the middle of the summer season – couldn’t be any worse.
Funding for improvements at the pier was granted in December 2022 under the Brexit Adjustment Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme 2022-2023 with over €1.4m allocated for Portsalon.
The rear of Portsalon pier is constantly attacked by waves and suffers extensive abrasion and erosion.
It has had a number of repairs in the past and Donegal County Council said it wanted to progress a plan designed in 2008 to secure the pier by installing a sheet piled wall to protect it.
Explaining the need to close the pier last summer, the council said the money would be lost unless it was spent by November 3.
Speaking to the Donegal News yesterday, local councillor Liam Blaney said the November deadline had passed without the work being completed.
He said various issues had arisen – including damage being caused to new infrastructure during Spring tides – and the date for the completion was now extended until the end of March next.
He added that his party colleague, Minister Charlie McConalogue had managed to obtain an extension under the Brexit Adjustment Scheme, so the funding for the work was still in place.
“The contractors tried to get as much work done as they could before the November deadline,” he said.
“Thankfully the Minister got an extension under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund and the revised date for finishing is now Easter.”
Heavy storms prior to Christmas caused some further damage to some of the new infrastructure, but Cllr Blaney said the damaged infrastructure was to be taken out anyway.
In the meantime, Cllr. Blaney is inviting any concerned business people and residents to attend a special public meeting being organised in the Stores Bar, Portsalon on Tuesday, January 9 at 8pm.
Cllr. Blaney said he hopes to be able to answer any concerns at the meeting and he will be joined at Tuesday night’s meeting by the contractor and the council’s marine engineer.
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