Sinn Féin TD Conor D. McGuinness has used his first speaking time in the Dáil to raise the need for dredging at Cé Heilbhic and to call out the Catch-22 situation that is preventing action to address the issued.
Addressing the Dáil in both Irish and English, McGuinness directly addressed the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, McGuinness said:
“Is féidir Cé Heilbhic, cé iascaireachta i nGaeltacht na nDéise, a lua mar shampla eile. De dheasca gainimh agus siolta, ní féidir le báid iascaireachta nó an bád tarrthála imeacht nó filleadh ar an gcalafort. Tá saolta á gcur i mbaol de réir an easpa infheistíochta anseo.
“Cé Heilbhic, a fishing harbour in the west Waterford Gaeltacht, urgently requires the Government to fund dredging works as fishing boats and the local lifeboat are prevented from leaving or returning to port in low tides.
“Lives and livelihoods are being put at risk. This situation was well flagged with the previous Minister, and I implore the incoming Minister to take action before life is lost.”
Explaining the Catch-22 situation that has prevented the work being carried out McGuinness criticised the indifference of successive Ministers.
“While the Department has a dedicated funding scheme for local authorities to carry out work on fisheries harbours, the Ministerial regulations of the scheme do not include the costly preparatory work required before dredging can take place – work that oftentimes costs much more than the actual dredging.
“The Minister can change these regulations with a stroke of a pen, allowing local authorities such as Waterford City and County Council access the funds necessary to dredge Cé Heilbhic. Minister Heydon must let common sense prevail.”
Conor D. McGuinness TD 