Hi All

As you may be aware the Council is about to commence two major public consultations to develop coherent and mutually beneficial plans for the future of both the harbour and the town.  These plans will then be the subject of a major public consultation and then will have to be agreed by the Council.  Once the plan is ready for consultation, Save Our Seafront will host major public meetings to discuss them.

In the meantime, though, the Council executive is planning to lease the ferry terminal building and the attached car parking space to a private company for the next 14 years to use as a co-working space with a food hall.  While there may well be merits to these proposals, we, in Save Our Seafront, believe it is ridiculously premature to proceed with this plan prior to the public having their say on the future of our unique harbour.

We are also aware that the Department of Transport has recently awarded a €400,000 grant for a feasibility study for a National Watersports Centre in the Harbour.  It is ridiculous that the whole central part of the harbour would be ruled out of this feasibility study.  

The councillors will have to vote on whether or not to hand over this land in a lease to the company.  This vote is scheduled to take place on 9 March..  We are asking you, if you agree with us in this regard, to lobby your councillors on this issue before the vote takes place.  We have attached a draft letter for these purposes.

Also, the Baths project has once again been delayed and may well not be ready until November of this year.  We believe it is utter madness at this point that this phase of the baths will be finished without a pool.  Considering the pool is supposed to be included in a second phase, but we would like to see it included in this phase.  It would be ludicrous to open up the new public space and then close it down again to put in the pool.

A vote on this is scheduled to take place also in early March.  Please also lobby your councillors on this, a second draft letter is attached.

Thanks and regards
Richard Boyd Barrett (Chairperson)

Link to suggested text for submission to your local councillor, below.