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Displaying items by tag: Approved

Permission has been given by An Bord Pleanála for the next phase of Dublin Port's €320m masterplan to proceed, subject to conditions.

The project, reports RTE, includes the development of a new roll-on roll-off (RoRo) jetty, the lengthening of an existing river berth and the redevelopment of a deep-water container berth.

A new public "heritage zone" at the east end of the port with a structure that will have a viewing deck and a small performance space below is also included in the plan.

"The proposed development in the operational phase will give rise to impacts which are positive," the planning board said in its decision.

"It will facilitate the completion of a single unified Ro-Ro terminal and enhanced Lo-Lo facilities facilitating the removal of capacity constraints within Dublin Port, thereby enabling projected economic growth through increased capacity and improved port infrastructure to facilitate larger vessels."

However, the Docklands Business Forum said the decision "beggars belief".

It said it would consolidate the port's monopoly on the island, marginalising regional ports in the process.

It claimed the decision ignores the reality of Brexit and will greatly damage Ireland's most successful urban regeneration.

The forum also thinks the development will put a strain on local infrastructure adversely impacting the lives of those living and working in Docklands.

The MP2 Project development represents the second stage of three contained in the port's Masterplan 2040.

For further reading on the port's next phase of development click  here. 

Published in Dublin Port

Irish Sailing Classes and Association – There’s no shortage of one-design classes from which to choose and each gives its enthusiasts great competition, fun and camaraderie, writes Graham Smith in this review of the classes. 

One-design racing is where it all starts. It is, after all, where all the top sailors earned their stripes, battling away for line honours without a thought for a handicapper’s calculator wiping away a hard-fought victory!

Indeed, you could count on less than one hand the number of top Irish sailors who didn’t cut their teeth in a one-design dinghy! Just think of Cudmore, Barrington, Watson, Wilkins, Hennessy and Dix to name a few and you realise that they honed their skills in everything from Enterprises to Lasers and a lot in between.

At present count, there are a little over 30 one-design classes in Ireland, split almost evenly between dinghies and keelboats, a statistic which might raise a few eyebrows. They range from the long-established Mermaids, IDRA14s and Dragons to the newer additions like Fevas, Topaz and RS Elite. They all fill a particular need and give their owners and crews considerable enjoyment.

Many have attracted their World or European Championships to Irish waters over the years and while 2009 is notable for a lack of such events here, the following year will see the Etchells Worlds at Howth and perhaps a few other international regattas too.

In addition to the review, we asked each class to complete a questionnaire giving details of their fleet numbers, whether they were on a growth pattern or holding their own, so we could highlight those ‘on the up’ and those remaining static in terms of numbers. The older traditional designs, as you might imagine, fall into the latter category, although that’s not a negative!

CLASS REVIEW  The State of the Classes – League Table (as at February 2009)

S = Static; U = Up/growing

275     Optimist   U

200+   Laser   S

189     Mermaid   S

160     Flying Fifteen   S

130     RS Feva   U

115     Shannon One Design    U

100+   Mirror   S

100+   Topper   U

99       Topaz   U

94       Laser SB3   U

87       GP14   U

85       Squib   S

70       Fireball   S

70       Ruffian   S

60       J24   S

60       Shipman   S

52       Dragon   S

50       RS400/200   S

50       420    U

43       Multihulls    U

42       Dragon    S

40       Water Wags    U

40       Wayfarer    S

34       IDRA14    U

33       Puppeteer    U

28       Etchells    S

27       E-Boat    U

26       Glen    S

25       Enterprise    S

18       Sigma 33    S

18       Howth 17    U

13       RS Elite    U