MINISTERIAL approval will be required to remove an accumulation of sand at a busy Beara peninsula pier because the pier is within a Special Area of Conservation, a recent meeting of Cork County Council’s Western Municipal District was told.
BY DAVID FORSYTHE
The issue was raised in a motion by Beara Councillor Finbarr Harington (Ind) who said that the sand buildup at Garnish Pier was causing safety issues for the many fishing and pleasure boats.
The motion stated: ‘That this council would once a year in the spring time move the build-up of sand from the slipway and pier at Garnish Pier Beara onto the adjacent beach in order to make it safer for all users.’
Mr Harrington said that no dredging or invasive activity was required and the necessary work could be carried out in ‘four or five hours’ annually. The motion was seconded by Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy who said the pier was a ‘critical piece of infrastructure’ for the area.
Acting municipal district officer Eimear O’Neill acknowledged that there is a build-up of sand at the head of this pier.
‘The works required are listed on our priority programme, which is subject to funding,’ she said, but noted the area is within Kenmare Special Area of Conservation which is now subject to EU Habitats Regulations. She said the regulations stipulate 19 activities requiring ministerial consent if carried out in the area – ‘digging, ploughing, harrowing or otherwise disturbing soil of substrate being one of them’.
It was agreed that a council engineer would assess the pier and that the minster would be written to if appropriate.
