Emergency access fears over Portnablagh and Marble Hill parking

Calls have been made for new parking sites at Portnablagh and Marble Hill amid fears for emergency service access at busy times. Councillor Michael McClafferty has asked Donegal County Council to examine using council-owned land at Portnablagh for a car park, while also opening land for additional parking at Marble Hill. He raised a motion with the council this week seeking a countywide discussion parking problems at piers and harbours, alongside the need for dredging at many coastal facilities. Cllr McClafferty said the parking problem had developed into “a real health and safety issue”. “We had a big issue down there at Portnablagh, where there’s no parking at all there apart from a bit on the pier, and that’s causing huge problems,” he said. Cllr McClafferty said while there is better parking provision at Marble Hill, the summer heatwave put the spotlight on access issues. “There an emergency in the last number of days at Marble Hill. You could neither get down nor get up because the whole place was totally blocked.” Cllr McClafferty also called for the historic Portnablagh Pier to be dredged. “At the minute now, it’s that much sanded up, a couple of boats are all that can be launched from it at any one time in high water, and it’s very unacceptable," he said. In its official response, Donegal County Council said harbour bylaws provide authorised council staff and An Garda Síochána with the necessary powers to address parking problems at piers and harbours. The bylaws currently cover 15 council-controlled locations, with draft bylaws being developed to increase this to 37. Director of Roads Bryan Cannon said securing dredging consents was a substantial expense funded through the council’s revenue budget. Donegal County Council currently has a dredging licence in place for Cé Mhachaire Uí Rabhartaigh. A consultant is currently progressing approvals for Buncrana, Greencastle and Malin at an estimated cost of €300,000, with dredging likely to cost a further €100,000 at each location. Cllr Martin McDermott said the marine team should meet members in every municipal district, as similar issues were affecting facilities throughout Donegal. Cllr McClafferty asked the council to examine the parking and dredging issues together. On Portnablagh, he said: “As long as we can get a car park down there and get things organised, particularly when there’s council-owned land there anyway, it would be a huge help for that place. “And Marble Hill then to possibly run alongside it as a sister, joint operation.”