The repairs to the cable car used to access Dursey Island are “nearing completion” as it is anticipated the service will resume within the next two months, Cork County Council has confirmed.
A ferry service to the island has been in place since late May following the ceasing of cable car operations on April 1, after an inspection report deemed remedial works necessary.
The delivery of a minor but essential part of the improvement works is currently awaited, and subject to a statutory inspections process, the cable car will resume service when this is in place.
A spokesperson for Cork County Council, which manages the temporary emergency ferry service, said:
“It is not possible to confirm the timing for the resumption of the cable-car service until the works are complete and have satisfied the statutory inspections, but it is anticipated that this will happen in December 2022/January 2023.”
In a previous statement, Cork County Council said the ferry would operate for one hour each side of high tide three days per week – Friday, Saturday and Monday. A current timetable has not been provided.
The ferry operator is required by licence to monitor weather and tidal conditions and to only operate the ferry service when it is safe to do so, the council confirmed.
‘No access’ to Dursey Island
The ferry service has been criticised by independent TD for Cork south west, Michael Collins who has said the government has “completely failed” to appreciate the scale of the challenges imposed on people following delayed repairs.
“I have spoken directly with the islanders and landowners in the past week, and they told me they have had no way on or off the island for almost two weeks. The temporary ferry service put in place has not been able to travel due to inclement weather, leaving no access to the island.
“A helicopter service must be put in place immediately for the people of Dursey Island, so people can get food and get onto the island to feed their cattle, as well as a derrick being provided on the mainland,” the deputy urged.
Deputy Collins recently raised the matter in the Dáil with Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, who said he would have the matter investigated as he did “not have an update to hand”.
“The Tánaiste’s reply made it clear that the effective stranding of Irish citizens on one of our own coastal islands is not even on the government’s radar.
“This is simply intolerable as we now know that the original date for repair completions has been pushed back, and the cable car may not become operational until January 2023,” according to Deputy Collins.