Frustration at Lagg and Ballyliffin holdups

Community involvement in necessary environmental projects in North Inishowen is being prevented by the Office of Public Work's (OPW) refusal to engage with local councillors, according to Cllr Martin McDermott (Fianna Fáil)

Speaking at January's meeting of Inishowen Municipal District councillors on Tuesday, Cllr McDermott said there were problems at Lagg beach and at Ballyliffin, along Pollan beach.

Cllr McDermott said: “This is something we have discussed on a number of occasions. Over the last while, particularly over Christmas, people were out walking and yet there is still no movement on access to Lagg beach. There still has been no work done there, nothing.

“In addition, in Ballyliffin, along the Pollan beach, two walkers had accidents over Christmas. People use these areas on a regular basis. And we have community groups, we have people, we have organisations in all of those areas who are prepared and want to facilitate and make a walkway. Yet, we are still are hitting a brick wall when we go to do anything, when it comes to beaches, when it comes to walkways.

“We are stopped at every opportunity that comes around, by planning, the environmental situation, the OPW.”

Cllr McDermott said he had been in contact with OPW for 14 months and had been unable to get a response to his request for a meeting about Lagg and Ballyliffin.

“I do not know where we go with this,” he said. “I was looking around different parts of Ireland, with exactly the same type of coastline, exactly the same type of situation you have out at Ballyliffin. In Cork, they have in a timber walkway, purposely built to stop the erosion.

“The erosion at 14th tee at Ballyliffin was bad over Christmas. And, again, we have people, businesses, community groups, prepared to do work, prepared to get involved, prepared to do what ever needs to be done but we cannot get anyone to meet us and give us the go ahead. There is no situation where Donegal county Council can tell us, 'You can do that', We have to get OPW,” said Cllr McDermott.

Cllr Albert Doherty said he was in total agreement with Cllr McDermott.

He said: "I received a lengthy letter from the Ballyliffin groups in relation to their beach walk and  beach access safety. Mr Farren [Ballyliffin Golf Club manager] also had a query about maritime area regulatory authority and our role in it. I did get a brief note back there from Mr Friel recently.

"Obviously, there is potential, which was coming up in the Outdoor Recreation Strategy. The road going down towards the beach in Lagg, but the beach in Lagg is making its way up towards the road very much so and closing in on all sides. It does raise an issue on access and I fully support Cllr McDermott's call that we, all of us, say, 'OPW, where is the harm in talking?' It can only benefit all our local communities and show the groups that have an interest in promoting and safeguarding the environment, and especially their sea and shore environment, that we are all in this together."

Responding, Donegal County Council's Chief Executive, John McLaughlin said it was important Council maintained the road at Lagg and held what it had.

He added: “As I understand it, it is a public road all the way down to the water. I see it is getting very narrow and sometimes in a Special Area you can find it more difficult to keep it to the tarred width. That should be picked up through the Municipal District.

“Regarding Ballyliffin, I will get the director of service to write to OPW, with a link back to the areas. We need to make a proposal in that letter about what we want to do and by when.”