Mayo piers and slipways to be cleaned five times a year

MAYO County Council is to clean 50 piers and slipways in the county five times a year, between March and September.

The confirmation comes after the family of Joachim McNulty, who died in an accident at Belderrig pier earlier this year, met with Minister Timmy Dooley to discuss a national approach to cleaning piers.

The family are also campaigning for barriers after losing their loved one when his vehicle entered the sea on an algae-covered slipway.

Issues, however, continue, and last week Councillor Michael Loftus experienced conditions at the slipway at Kilcummin, where he described having to crawl on his knees to get off.

“Kilcummin slipway is a disgrace,” the councillor, who is a member of the Grainne Uaile Sub Aqua Club, told a meeting of Mayo County Council's economic and enterprise development strategic policy committee.

Coming into the busy season, they need to be cleaned as soon as possible, he urged.

Head of marine Michael O'Boyle said work is taking place to develop a national policy around slipways, with two government departments engaged.

They were also looking at the resources and level of service required. From a tidal point of view, they have to be done almost at the same time, and there is also different needs at locations, with some requiring chemicals, others powerwashing, and machinery needed in some instances to remove seaweed and other vegetation.

There's a level of service that's a national issue that needs to be agreed.

* Funded under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme