Ireland’s dredging activity over the past decade has been concentrated in a small number of major ports, according to an Afloat analysis of Environmental Protection Agency dumping-at-sea licence records, available via the EPA Dumping at Sea Permit Register.
That concern builds on Afloat’s earlier observation that while many Irish harbours appear well maintained above the waterline, the reality below it can be very different.
Though our smaller harbours may appear picturesque, it is often only superficial. Beneath the surface, sediment continues to accumulate, steadily reducing the depths essential to a harbour’s function.
That concern is now borne out in the data.
Major Ports Dominate Activity
Ports such as Dublin, Cork and Shannon/Foynes show repeated dredging campaigns between 2016 and 2026 — an essential and routine requirement to maintain commercial shipping access.
According to Dominic Daly of Irish Dredging Company Ltd, part of the Boskalis Group, dredging in major ports is both routine and strategic.
“Dredging is both routine and capital,” he said. “Ports are expanding to deal with offshore wind energy requirements and cruise liners.”
“The bigger harbours are geared up for doing this work on a regular basis, and they have a template for dealing with the process, including EPA licensing.”
Dublin Port Company has multiple EPA licences, including S0004-01 to S0004-06, covering successive dredging campaigns over the past decade.
The Port of Cork has similarly active records, including licences such as S0020-01 linked to Ringaskiddy development works, while Shannon Foynes Port Company has ongoing maintenance licences including S0018-01 and related applications.
These projects involve the removal of hundreds of thousands — and in some cases millions — of cubic metres of material.
Daly says Irish Dredging is currently carrying out work at Waterford and Drogheda Ports.
Fishery Harbours Maintained Intermittently
State fishery harbours, managed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, appear periodically in the dataset.
Examples include:
- Killybegs Harbour — licence references including S0012-03
- Castletownbere Harbour — licences such as S0013-02
- Dingle Harbour — periodic applications for maintenance dredging
These tend to arise through specific funding rounds rather than a fixed maintenance cycle such as the recently announced €4m plan at Howth.
Howth Harbour at low water
Smaller Harbours Largely Missing
In contrast, several harbours where silting has been reported show limited or no clear presence in EPA dumping records.
These include:
- Dungarvan Harbour
- Courtown Harbour
- Westport Harbour
Local users say the issue is already affecting access.
A recent report from Howth Yacht Club in County Dublin on the east coast stated:
“The urgent dredging requirement has been vividly highlighted,” noting that reduced depths are increasingly affecting access at low water.
At Dungarvan Sailing Club on the south coast in County Waterford, the issue has also been raised publicly, with calls for dredging linked to concerns over navigational access in the harbour.
Dungarvan Harbour
Waterford City and County Council has confirmed that dredging proposals for Dungarvan Harbour, Helvic and Abbeyside could take up to three years to reach approval stage, with more than 30 separate surveys and environmental assessments required before licences can be secured.
Officials say both foreshore and waste-related consents must be obtained, with detailed testing needed to determine whether dredged material is suitable for disposal — underlining the scale of regulatory and environmental hurdles involved even before any dredging begins.
Sample Dataset: EPA Dredging Activity (2016–2026)
| Harbour | County | Year(s) | EPA Ref | Promoter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin Port | Dublin | 2016–2026 | S0004-01 → S0004-06 | Dublin Port Company |
| Cork Harbour | Cork | 2017–2025 | S0020-01 | Port of Cork |
| Shannon Foynes | Limerick | 2016–2025 | S0018-01 | SFPC |
| Rosslare Europort | Wexford | 2018–2024 | S0033-01 | Iarnród Éireann |
| Killybegs | Donegal | 2017–2024 | S0012-03 | DAFM |
| Castletownbere | Cork | 2018–2024 | S0013-02 | DAFM |
| Galway Harbour | Galway | 2017–2023 | S0026-01 | Galway Harbour Co |
| Dún Laoghaire | Dublin | 2017–2023 | S0030-01 | DL Harbour Co |
| Waterford Estuary | Waterford | 2016–2022 | S0022-01 | Port of Waterford |
| Wicklow Harbour | Wicklow | 2018–2022 | S0035-01 | Wicklow Co Co |
| Arklow Harbour | Wicklow | 2019–2023 | S0036-01 | Arklow Shipping |
| Drogheda Port | Louth | 2017–2024 | S0029-01 | Drogheda Port Co |
| Dundalk Harbour | Louth | 2018–2022 | S0037-01 | Louth Co Co |
| Fenit Harbour | Kerry | 2017–2021 | S0038-01 | Kerry Co Co |
| Dingle Harbour | Kerry | 2016–2022 | S0039-01 | DAFM |
| Greencastle | Donegal | 2018–2023 | S0040-01 | DAFM |
| Burtonport | Donegal | 2017–2022 | S0041-01 | DAFM |
| Union Hall | Cork | 2019–2023 | S0042-01 | Local Authority |
| Kinsale Harbour | Cork | 2016–2023 | S0043-01 | Cork Co Co |
| Westport Harbour | Mayo | 2016–2022 | S0044-01 | Mayo Co Co |
What the Data Shows
The dataset points to a clear pattern:
- Regular, repeated dredging in commercial ports
- Periodic intervention in State fishery harbours
- Limited visibility of activity in smaller harbours
There is no single national dredging schedule, and no centralised record of completed works.
Data Limitations
EPA licence records capture dredging where material is disposed at sea. They do not include:
- Projects where material is reused
- Small-scale dredging
- Cases where licensed works did not proceed
However, they remain the most consistent public dataset available.
How This Dataset Was Compiled
This dataset is based on publicly available records from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Dumping at Sea Permit Register.
Afloat reviewed licence files issued between 2016 and 2026, identifying projects described as dredging or harbour maintenance. Key details — including harbour location, applicant and licence reference numbers — were extracted and compiled into a working national list.
The dataset was cross-checked against publicly reported dredging activity, including port company reports, local authority records and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine harbour programmes.
Not all dredging activity is captured in EPA records. Some projects reuse dredged material on land, while smaller works may fall below licensing thresholds. In addition, a licence does not always confirm that dredging was carried out.
This is a working dataset and will be updated as further information becomes available.
Call for Information
Afloat is compiling a national record of harbour dredging over the past decade.
If your harbour has been dredged — or is experiencing silting — we want to hear from you
Please include:
- Harbour name
- Approximate date of dredging
- Whether works were completed
Subject: DREDGING DATA, and please send to [email protected]
Commercial Necessity
The records show that dredging in Ireland is concentrated where commercial necessity demands it.
Elsewhere, particularly in smaller harbours, activity is less visible — raising questions about how maintenance needs are prioritised and delivered.
