Displaying items by tag: East Tip: Risks

16th May 2019

Report from 2017 Warned of Risk to Users of Polluted Haulbowline Island

Haulbowline Island where the site of the public park that is to open is located at the East Tip (left side) noting this file photo Afloat adds shows waste deposits mounds from the former Irish Steel Plant.

#corkharbour - Set to open on Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour, is a public park despite warnings in a 2017 report that chemical contamination at the island’s former steel site has the potential to cause risks to users of a future park.

Now home to the Irish Naval Service, the GreenNews.ie reports that Haulbowline formerly housed the Irish Steel plant in the centre of the island from the late 1930s until its closure in 2001.

Over a 40-year period, 650,000 cubic metres of by-products and waste from the steelworks were deposited on a nine-hectare shallow sand spit on the island known as the East Tip.

Cork County Council was appointed as an agent for the Minister for Agriculture to oversee the regularisation of the site.

The East Tip has now been regenerated and is slated to open as a public park shortly, featuring playing pitches, walkways, cycleways, and over 200 trees and wildflower areas.

Much more on this story can be read here.

Published in Cork Harbour

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About the Loughs Agency

The Loughs Agency is a governmental body established under the 1998 Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland. The Agency's goal is to provide sustainable social, economic, and environmental benefits by effectively conserving, managing, promoting, and developing the fisheries and marine resources of the Foyle and Carlingford areas.

The Agency's governing legislation confers several specific functions, including the promotion of development of Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough for commercial and recreational purposes in respect of marine, fishery, and aquaculture matters. Moreover, the Agency is responsible for managing, conserving, protecting, improving, and developing the inland fisheries of the Foyle and Carlingford areas. Additionally, the Agency has the task of developing and licensing aquaculture, as well as the development of marine tourism.

The Loughs Agency reports to the North South Ministerial Council and its government Sponsor Departments, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland, and the Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications (DECC) in Ireland. The Departments fund the Agency on an equal basis.

The Loughs Agency's focus on sustainable development is expected to have a positive impact on the economy, environment, and local communities in the Foyle and Carlingford areas. The Agency's efforts to conserve and enhance the region's marine resources, including fisheries and aquaculture, are expected to benefit local communities, promote tourism, and contribute to economic growth.

In conclusion, the Loughs Agency plays a vital role in promoting the sustainable social, economic, and environmental development of the Foyle and Carlingford areas. Its work on marine conservation and development is crucial in ensuring the long-term viability of the region's natural resources and in promoting sustainable economic growth.