Sinn Féin general election candidate and councillor Conor D. McGuinness has said that the long-awaited review of Waterford City and County Council’s capital plan must ringfence funding to dredge Cé Heilbhic. McGuinness has been campaigning for the harbour to be dredged and said lives may well be lost over the refusal by Government to get the job done.
McGuinness said:
“The new Council chief executive has agreed to review the multiannual capital plan following persistent calls from the Sinn Féin group of councillors. We want to see a move away from vanity projects and instead see investment in much needed infrastructure.
“Dredging Cé Heilbhic must feature in the capital plan. Money must be ringfenced to fund the job in the hope that the coming general election brings a new government that will end the neglect of coastal and rural communities.
“Lives and livelihoods are being put at risk by the failure of the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael coalition to provide Waterford City and County Council with the funding required to dredge Cé Heilbhic.
“This despite the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine getting an extra €31 million under the EU Brexit stability fund specifically earmarked for local authority ports and harbours.
“The failure to dredge this working fisheries harbour means that in low tides boats cannot enter or leave, including at times the lifeboat, which is stationed in Heilbhic.
“I have raised this issue with the new chief executive and asked that the Council’s capital plan would be urgently reviewed to identify funds to cover the works required.
“It’s a sorry indictment of this Government’s inaction and indifference that this issue remains unsolved, especially given the very real risk to lives at sea due to their failure to fund dredging works.
“We need a change of Government, a reset of priorities, and a strong local voice at national level.”
Conor D. McGuinness TD 