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Fahan Marina 'scandal' debated
18.10.10
THE ‘scandal’ that was
the handling of the Fahan Marina project was hotly
debated at a public meeting in Letterkenny last
week.
This and other lively exchanges between politicians
and members of the public took place during an open
discussion on issues affecting rural Donegal which
was held in the Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny on
Thursday night.
Chaired by political journalist Ken Murray, The
Rural Ireland Road Show was part of a series of
eight such meetings around the country which were
sponsored by Calor Gas.
Mr JJ McDaid demanded that Fianna Fail Deputy Niall
Blaney explain why Fahan Marina, of which he is
managing director, was blocked by the Government
from receiving EU funding.
Last month the High Court ruled that the Department
of Marine and Natural Resources acted outside its
powers and imposed unreasonable conditions on the
owners.
Mr McDaid claimed that Fahan came first in a report
on where marinas should be located in Donegal, which
was compiled by Deloitte.
However, Donegal County Council’s Sail West
Initiative recently decided to spend €1.7 million in
the development of an angling centre at Bunagee,
near Culdaff.
He pointed out that the proposed marina at Bunagee
came bottom of the pile in the Deloitte report.
However Deputy Blaney blamed Mr McDaid for making
numerous accusations against him in relation to the
controversy.
In relation to the High Court case, Deputy Blaney
said both Mr McDaid and the Department were at
fault. Mr McDaid said, however, that his company
were vindicated by the court ruling. |
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Fahan Marina on Lough Swilly |
Deputy Blaney told Mr
McDaid ‘I helped you with planning permission’ and
said it was a matter for him if he wanted to take
the Department to court.
Cllr Frank McBrearty told Deputy Blaney that he
should have used his Dáil privilege to speak about
the ‘scandal’ of the Fahan Marina issue.
However, Deputy Blaney said that using his Dáil
privilege would have got him nowhere. Cllr Padraig
MacLochlainn said that the developers of the Fahan
Marina ‘got in the way’ of a powerful political
agenda.
“There was €1.3 million of taxpayers' money wasted
on another marina that was never built,” Cllr
MacLochlainn said.
“If it was not for people like John ‘Halfway’ McDaid
in England, all this would have been swept under the
carpet. Only he had enough financial clout to fight
this case, it would never have been heard about.
It’s terrible that you need access to big money to
defend against injustice in this country. The real
story of what actually went on behind the scenes
needs to be told”.
Chairman, Ken Murray, said that question had to be
asked ‘was the State working against these people?'
Deputy Blaney stated that, no matter what kind of
investigation was carried out, he would not be left
embarrassed.
“I had no hand or act in what took place nor did I
ever look for an alternative marina in either
Rathmullan or Buncrana,” he said.
Again, Mr McDaid asked Deputy Blaney why his project
had been excluded from Sail West and why €1.7 had
been awarded to a separate project.
Deputy Blaney replied: “I cannot answer that”. Mr
McDaid then turned his attentions to Deputy Joe
McHugh whom he said was in the presence of Tánaiste
Mary Coughlan and Dr Jim McDaid when Sail West was
launched.
“Were there any underhand tactics used?” Mr McDaid
asked.
Deputy McHugh replied that he was at the launch,
however, he said he was not involved in the
decision-making process and had no explanation as to
why Bunagee was chosen over the Fahan Marina
project.
“But I will try to find out through Donegal County
Council,” Deputy McHugh told Mr McDaid. Cllr
MacLochlainn added that a marine development at
Burtonport had been awarded €1.5 million in grants
ahead of Fahan.
“Money has also been denied to you (Mr McDaid) by
Donegal County Council and that could be another
legal issue,” Cllr MacLochlainn said. |
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