A local business association will fight plans by the Harbour Company to overhaul the Dun Laoghaire marina for cruise ships, citing a major loss in tourism euros as the major factor.
The Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Ratepayers' Association are objecting to the proposed €15 million redevelopment which will allow the biggest cruise ships to dock in Dun Laoghaire, the Evening Herald reports.
Chariman of the group, Peter Kerrigan, has said that the grounds for objection are that the Dun Laoghaire area won't reap the benefits of the visiting ships, as the ferries did.
"Passengers on cruise ships won't spend money in the town - they'll go out to Glendalough or into the city. All of their food and accommodation is on board," said Kerrigan. "With the ferries we had tourists coming in. They stayed locally and spent money."
The Harbour Compnay plan to demolish the Stena HSS ramps and moorings, as Stena ceased its Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead ferries last month. A 390-metre cruise berth will be built, as well a dredging of the harbor, to accommodate large cruise vessels.
"The worry is that it will destroy the harbour and the town will be left with the mess of a failed project. It'll completely upset the whole amenity of the pier for the whole community," added Kerrigan.
This year 22 cruise vessels have already been confirmed to dock in Dun Laoghaire, totalling nearly 90,000 in passengers and crew. Below is a schedule of the vessesl that will vist the harbour in 2015.
