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Swilly dredging - a life saver
29.07.09
by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent
BUNCRANA-based RNLI man Liam McGee says that the
dredging of the approach to Buncrana pier is vital
to allow the lifeboat based there to launch at all
times.
He disagreed with those who branded dredging a waste
of money and said that, in the absence of a more
permanent solution, dredging must continue.
The channel into the pier is currently being
dredged, a measure which should allow Lough Swilly’s
Tyne Class lifeboat to launch at a moments notice
for the remainder of this year at least.
“There was an incident a couple of years ago when a
diver was missing at sea and the Tyne class boat had
to wait for two hours before it could be launched.
Now we launched our other lifeboat and Portrush and
Arranmore responded, but the fact remained that
lives could have been lost,” said Mr McGee. |
The dredging process
has come in for criticism in some quarters because
it only temporarily alleviates the pier access
problem.
However Mr McGee says that, in the absence of a
breakwater for Buncrana harbour, dredging can and
must continue whenever it is required.
“Obviously I am in favour of dredging, because it
allows the lifeboat to operate 24/7.
The Tyne Class lifeboat is based at Buncrana pier,
but at low tide the channel is too shallow for it to
get in and |
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out of the pier.”
Mr McGee was grateful that Donegal County Council
had sanctioned this latest dredging operation, which
is set to take 20 days.
The previous dredge of the Swilly kept the channel
clear for around eight months, said Mr McGee, who
was expecting this latest operation to give the
lifeboat an unobstructed route in and out of
Buncrana Harbour until next spring.
“It really depends on what kind of winter we have.
In the past big storms have led to the channel being
filled in. By next spring we could need the dredger
again and we would hope that if this happens then
the Council will need to [sanction] further
dredging.”
Three years ago, when the channel was obstructed,
the Tyne Class vessel was moored off Ned’s Point,
however this was not an ideal solution, according to
Liam.
“We had the lifeboat moored 150 metres off Ned’s
Point, but this was found to be no good as our
mechanics couldn’t get out to service the boat.
“We had great expectations that a breakwater would
have been in place, but in the current economic
climate the chances of this happening in the near
future have become more unlikely. Therefore we would
say that it is essential the channel is cleared by
Donegal County Council. |
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