It is reminiscent of the state-giveaway scandal of the Corrib Gas Field or the cultural vandalism of their Motorway through historic Tara. Now, against the wishes of the vast majority of people of Kinsale, Martin Hayden - the Fine Gael minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine - has allowed permission for a mussel farm, (farmed by dredgers), in the middle of the most beautiful location of world-renowned Kinsale Harbour. Yes, the beautiful area between the famous and historic forts of  Charles Fort and James Fort, beside the beautiful, golden-sanded renowned DOCK BEACH.

      The boundary of this mussel farm immediatly abuts the narrow shipping channel which will be silted up in short time by the dredge spoil.  We have one last chance of appeal - and your planning objection must be in by 30/June/2025!

 

 

        Many great local (and other) people have worked for years to make Kinsale the renowned Irish tourist gem it is. It is bewildering that for 5 part-time jobs (i.e. a few weeks a year), the past efforts of so many is to be undone, currrent full-time shrimp fishermen to be be displaced, Ireland's historic port is to become silted up (or continually and expensively dredged to maintain current depths). 

      A beautiful, unsppoiled beach is to soiled by broken shellfish and the pungent smells of dead mussels. The safe and open training ground for young sailors, kayakers, wind-surfers and local rowing clubs is to be taken from them and, of course, the beautiful harbour vista that makes Kinsale famous is to be spoiled by the blot of this mussel farm.

      Kinsale has already given enough to Shellfish farming with Oyster/mussel farm about 1 mile upriver so the plan ignores the government's own biodiversity principles, not to mention the destruction of protected sea-grasses in the area.  

 

      Enough is enough. Stop the Greed and Save the Town, Save local jobs, Save our Environment!

 

      An appeal against the aquaculture licence decision must be made in writing, by Monday June 30^th) to the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board, Kilminchy Court, Portlaoise, Co Laois by completing the Notice of Appeal application form which is available from the Board. See www.alab.ie or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  (Note that the appeal must be sent by registered post or dropped in by hand to the Portlaoise office).

 

      Link to ALAB's Appeal Form --> https://alab.ie/media/alab/Appeal%20Form.pdf