CORK County Council has ruled out increasing the opening hours for the Dursey Cable Car during the winter, following a request from one councillor who said it would help farmers to check their livestock on the island.
Cllr Danny Collins (Ind Ire) had called on the Council to extend the opening hours for the cable car crossing to Dursey Island from the months between November to February.
He said there are a number of farmers who have stock on the island and many of them work part-time on the mainland.
‘The cable car closes at 4.30pm and they were asking me if it could be extended to 7.30pm. This would allow them to go over and check on their animal stock,’ said Cllr Collins.
‘I’m not asking for it to be extended for seven days but maybe a few days would help these farmers.’
Cllr Finbarr Harrington (Ind) seconded the motion and said extending the opening to even 7pm would allow these farmers to get them in and out to check on their cattle.
He said tourists would also make use of it.
County mayor Cllr Joe Carroll (FF) said he has received a few complaints about the opening hours and the staffing of the cable car, including the operations on Sunday.
He asked if there was any update on recent interviews for operators also.
‘It’s a tourist attraction but if they hear of uncertain opening hours, people will choose not to go there,’ said Cllr Carroll.
His colleague, Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy said the Dursey Cable Car is one of the signal points of the Wild Atlantic Way and that Cork County Council has invested heavily in it. He also highlighted the multi-million euro plans that the Council had to develop a visitor centre at the location.
‘We could have had a serious iconic visitor centre there but objectors stole our thunder and that was disappointing,’ said Cllr Murphy.
In a written reply to councillors, county engineer John Slattery said the winter opening hours for the Dursey Cable Car were increased from 36 hours per week to 45 hours per week since 2017.
‘Cork County Council does not intend to provide additional opening hours for the Dursey Cable Car during the winter season,’ he said.
