#CruiseBerth - The case against Dun Laoghaire's proposed cruise liner berth has another vocal supporter in local TD Richard Boyd Barrett, who writes in The Irish Times about seeking an alternative vision for the south Dublin port town.
Indeed, 'An Alternative Vision for Dún Laoghaire' is the title of a document set to be published next week by Save Our Seafront, the activist group chaired by Boyd Barrett, who says the debate over the cruise terminal "is being posed in terms of whether you are for or against cruise ships.
"We are not against cruise ships using Dún Laoghaire Harbour. But we are against the Harbour Company’s plans to build a cruise ship berth that would destroy the unique aspect of the harbour."
Aside from the notion that, with Dublin Port advancing its own cruise terminal plans, "having two large and expensive cruise ship facilities within five miles of each other makes no sense and could lead to a financial disaster", Boyd Barrett adds that the debate is also missing debate on a new residential, office and retail development included in the plans, which he describes as "only a more expensive rehash of the 1989 development plan for... the old Mail Boat pier that caused such an outrage that it was quickly abandoned."
The Dun Laoghaire TD's comments come after local author Alison Hackett argued in the same paper that if the cruise berth goes ahead in the harbour, it would "destroy its natural open shape and beauty".
Meanwhile, the Dun Laoghaire Combined Clubs recently secured the support of the Irish Sailing Association in their submission to An Bord Pleanála over the controversial proposals for a next-generation cruise terminal.
