SOCIAL Democrats representatives are due to meet with Amazon Ireland officials later this week over the company’s plans to carry out site investigations for a transatlantic undersea fibre optic cable into Long Strand beach at Castlefreke.
News of the plan was first reported by this newspaper two weeks ago.
Cllr Isobel Towse and Deputy Holly Cairns’ parliamentary assistant Ellen Casey will be asking questions about the company’s plans at this special area of conservation (sac).
The company’s own impact statement confirmed that will be ‘possible physical disturbance and habitat loss’ at Kilkeran lake and Castlefreke dunes.
The company has submitted an application for a maritime usage licence to Mara, the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority.
It is to facilitate a geophysical survey and site investigation for a fibre optic cable reaching land at Castlefreke, and to evaluate options for a route through the Celtic Sea and across the Atlantic to the US east coast.
Local group Castlefreke Our Woods Our Walks (COWOW), who have called for an open discussion clarifying the intent and the impact on the region, said the dunes on Long Strand are the longest fixed dunes on the southern coast.
‘These areas are designated as a sac, which means it is a protected area. We want to keep this as a protected area for the sake of flora, fauna and the population who enjoy the area and for future generations,’ a spokesperson told The Southern Star.
‘As a community organisation committed to preserving the environment, COWOW are very concerned about the environmental impact that will be caused by this intended survey, not alone to the land but also at sea.’
They pointed out that the proposed cable will run through known cod nursery grounds, haddock spawning grounds as well as black-bellied monkfish nursery, hake nursery and blue whiting nursery and spawning grounds.
‘The sea and the land are interconnected so any disturbance of one will affect the other. Amazon Ireland has said they would contact local community leaders but as a prominent local organisation we have not been contacted as yet.’
The licence application will be for three years and the activities will take place in Little Island Strand and Long Strand, both at Castlefreke.
Members of the public who wish to make a submission to Mara on the licence application and the associated Natura Impact Statement have until February 11th to submit to [email protected] or by post to The Licence Unit, Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, Second floor, Menapia House, Drinagh Business Park, Drinagh, Co Wexford, Y35 RF29.
