Sub aqua club seek slipway on Castletown River
TOWN COUNCILLORS have said that they would be in favour of meeting with Dundalk Sub Aqua Club regarding the provision of a slipway for launching its rescue boat onto the Castletown River/dundalk Bay at low-tide, if the search and recovery unit puts in a request.
However, they said that they didn't see any necessity to meet the Louth Environmental Group and the owners of the Connick's Patent Slip as suggested by Cllr Oliver Morgan.
The Independent councillor had called for such a meeting in view of the damage which had been caused to the club's boat during a recent search and recovery mission on the Castletown River.
Cllr Jim Ryan said that the search and recovery team was very well respected and had gone from Derry to Cork to help people in trouble.
He suggested that the Sub Aqua Club write to the Town Clerk requesting a meeting with the officials to see how the problem regarding a slipway could be progressed.
However, he couldn't see how the Louth Environmental Group had any function in the matter whatsoever.
The club provides ' an invaluable service' to the whole community, not just in Dundalk but across the whole country, remarked Cllr Eamonn O'boyle.
Chairperson Cllr Marianne Butler said she understood that there were concerns that the shipyard mightn't be the best location for the slipway.
Town Clerk Mr Frank Pentony said that if the council received a request to meet the club they would, but not anyone else.
Pointing out that the council had already agreed to lease land to the sub aqua club at Soldiers Point for the purpose of storage and a slip way, he said they didn't own much land with frontage onto the Castletown River.
He told Cllr O'boyle that the lease for the land at Soldiers Point had been signed two years.
Cllr O'boyle said he would like to see that being developed.
Councillors adopted an amended motion by Cllr Ryan that the sub aqua club should write to the Town Clerk seeking a meeting.
