13 October 2017
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Cork County Council has successfully passed the first stage of a two-stage grant application process with Fáilte Ireland.Dursey Island, a Signature Discovery Point on the Wild Atlantic Way becomes an iconic must visit attraction resulting in increased visitor numbers to West Cork.”
Dursey Island in West Cork is a a Signature Discovery Point on the Wild Atlantic Way. The local authority wants to upgrade Ireland’s only cable car to a “Two car aerial tramway system” and to build a Visitor Centre on the mainland, and a further small Visitor Centre on the Island.
Dursey Island is one of only 15 signature discovery points located along the Wild Atlantic Way of which 3 are located in Cork. The other two are Mizen Head and the Old Head of Kinsale.
Cork County Council has recently been advised by Fáilte Ireland that it has successfully passed Stage 1 of the process – eligibility and evaluation criteria of the Grants Scheme for Large Tourism Projects.
The next step is to submit a Stage 2 application for funding towards the delivery of the project. This stage requires that the project must be fully designed and costed and all necessary statutory consents secured prior to submitting the Stage 2 application. To assist with the costs involved prior to submitting the Stage 2 application, Fáilte Ireland has offered Development Grant Assistance of €200,000 which Cork County Council has accepted.
Tim Lucey, Chief Executive of Cork County Council has stated that “In accepting this letter of offer, we are committed to jointly funding a significant investment in this project and to the early deployment of technical and professional resources to ensuring that the design and approval phase is delivered to a high standard and on schedule.”
Cork County Chief Executive, Mr. Tim Lucey.
Picture: John Allen
The total cost of the project is estimated to cost in excess of €7 million. A Stage 2 grant application relating to construction will be submitted to Fáilte Ireland following the conclusion of the detailed design and planning of an upgraded cable car, visitor centre, island facilities and carpark.
