WORK on replacing the 50-year-old towers supporting the Dursey cable car commenced on Wednesday.
The divisional county manager, Clodagh Henehan, confirmed to The Southern Star that the work is on target to be completed by mid-November.
The contractor – TLI Group, a Tralee-based company – is now on site and management confirmed that their employees will be staying on the island, as well as locally on the mainland, for the duration of the work.
A local contractor has also been engaged to transport materials, while the steel is being manufactured by Irish Pioneer Works, which is based in Cork city.
Ireland’s only cable car closed on March 31st because it hadn’t passed the appropriate standard for the operation of a cable car system. In the meantime, work had to be done on the procurement process, as well as the design of the structure.
‘The work to the cable car was deemed essential and construction needed to be carried out in optimal weather conditions during the summer months,’ said the county mayor Danny Collins (Ind).
At a meeting of the Western Division on Monday, MacDara O h-Icí, a senior executive officer with Cork County Council, also confirmed that a longer-term ferry service for the islanders has been advertised. He said the longer-term service will be in operation until the cable car is back in operation.
‘Everyone is looking forward to the cable car being reinstated in November,’ said the county mayor. ‘Hopefully, it will serve the community for a long time to come.’
