2026-07-08

I wish to address the ongoing need for the repair of the Fermoy Weir in my constituency of Cork East. I brought the matter to the Taoiseach's attention as recently as March, so I know he will be familiar with this situation, and I thank him for that. He will be aware the weir is a protected structure and a very important part of the river and the wider Blackwater region. However, he will also know that, unfortunately, the weir sustained considerable damage as a result of a flood event in 2016. During this flooding, the greatly increased flow through the breach eroded a section of the southern end of the weir. This threatened to scour the channel and undermine part of Fermoy's flood defences. It required urgent intervention by the Office of Public Works, OPW, to stabilise part of the foundation. This breach, unfortunately, had the effect of lowering the river level upstream, which significantly impacted upon those using the river for recreation and leisure. We have a very successful rowing club that uses the river on a permanent basis and its members find it very difficult to participate in their sport when the river is low. Cork County Council began consultation on a project to remediate the weir in 2017. Following the consultation with Inland Fisheries Ireland, it was revealed that repairs to the weir would not achieve compliance with the habitats directive unless a new fish bypass channel was also constructed. The proposal for the installation of a fish pass, in addition to the full repair of the weir, is currently estimated at around €6 million. Planning permission for these remedial works was approved in February 2024 but, unfortunately, we are no closer to works beginning as funding cannot be secured. Cork County Council acknowledges the importance of this structure and its obligation to remediate the weir as a protected structure in its ownership. I understand from direct engagement with Cork County Council officials that it is willing to contribute greatly towards the cost of the overall works. However, the fish bypass channel element of the proposed upgrade accounts for the majority of proposed costs, at around €4 million, and involves the provision of new infrastructure beyond the resources of the local authority. I understand that senior council officials have written to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with regard to this as the original planning phase for this project was co-financed by that Department. I recently met with the Minister of State with responsibility for nature, heritage and biodiversity, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, to discuss the matter, and I thank him for his engagement as we seek further discussion between the Department, the council, local stakeholders and public representatives. With this in mind, will the Taoiseach please directly engage with the appropriate Ministers and with Cork County Council officials to ensure that Fermoy Weir is restored to its former glory sooner rather than later? It is an enormously important feature within the town, and one that Fermoy locals would love to see repaired at the earliest convenience.

I thank Deputy McCarthy for raising this issue. I share his frustration with the progress of this project because it goes back to that storm in 2016. I subsequently visited the rowing club and am well aware of it. I have spoken to the county manager about this and to the Deputy's good colleague Councillor Frank O'Flynn. I hope the Deputy does not mind.

Not at all.

All things Fermoy and all that, as the Deputy knows. I spoke to them to get the background to this because different Departments have said that it not their responsibility. I will convene a meeting between the OPW and the Department of housing - I have spoken to the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, and the Minister, Deputy James Browne - as well as Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Ministers of State, Deputies Dooley and O'Sullivan, in terms of the NPWS and so on. The council will make a contribution. The cost could be higher than €6 million. The documents are ready to go to tender, but it seems each Department says it is someone else's problem. However, this can be resolved. We can find the capital for it. If the documents are ready, the council should maybe go to tender, and I suggested that to the county manager. I know the council wants to have everything guaranteed, but at least we would have an idea of what the cost is. This has to be done because it is a protected structure. It dates from the early 19th century and is a beautiful area in itself. The manager also indicated that the council is going to apply to the Minister for rural and community affairs for grant funding under the rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF. If we can pull people together, it will enable us to get this done. It has to be done, and I am now taking it under my responsibility to make sure that we pull people together to enable us to get it done.

I thank the Taoiseach for his positive response. It means a lot to the people of Fermoy, as I said already. The Taoiseach mentioned Councillor O'Flynn. I want to acknowledge all the councillors in the Fermoy municipal district for all the work they are doing. I know at first hand that they are working hard to achieve what I am trying to achieve here today. I am the only public representative who lives in the town of Fermoy, so I know at first hand the frustration that the locals are feeling about this because they feel they are being neglected. Every town, village and city has a focal point. We in Fermoy have the River Blackwater, so when people come to visit our town, they say how lovely the Blackwater is but, unfortunately, the weir is in disrepair at the moment. The job needs to be carried out on it and the work needs to be done because it is unfair to people who use the river on a regular basis and all of the people living in the town and surrounding areas. The Taoiseach is right. It is about working with all the different Departments and everyone else to achieve what we are trying to achieve, and I thank him for taking a personal interest.

The application was originally made for barrier mitigation funding. The Fermoy project involves the rebuilding of a weir and then the barrier mitigation programme deals with mitigating existing barriers to fish passage, but both are combined in this project. It is about pulling people together to make sure that this can be done, and we need to get it done or costs will escalate, but it is important that it gets done for leisure, sporting, fishing and other activities, as well as for the wildlife, biodiversity and so forth. It is an important project and I will certainly keep a focus on this. I appreciate that the Deputy has now raised this twice in the House.