Greystones Fishermen Still Struggling Despite Harbour Settlement Warns Senator

Despite a legal settlement aimed at resolving lengthy disputes, issues remain for fishermen and families in Greystones according to Senator Aubrey McCarthy

Generations of local fishermen in Greystones continue to face major challenges accessing harbour facilities, despite a recent High Court settlement aimed at resolving years-long disputes, according to Senator Aubrey McCarthy.

Speaking in the Seanad, Senator McCarthy highlighted that the conditions attached to securing a commercial berth in the new marina are “so restrictive that in practice it nearly makes it impossible” for local fishermen to operate.

He also raised concerns about proposed harbour fees, describing them as “significantly higher than anywhere else in the county, but also higher than elsewhere in the State,” with no clear system for calculating the charges.

“This goes well beyond individual operators,” McCarthy said. “Families who have fished out of Greystones for up to five generations have spent 15 years in the courts trying to regain their rights after being removed from the old harbour in 2008 for redevelopment. A legal settlement was only recently reached to provide a safe, functional area, yet the fishing community tells me that while the Department thinks it is fixed, in practical terms it is not.”

The Senator stressed that while the new marina is an important asset for Greystones, traditional fishing activity and modern marina operations must be able to coexist.

“While the Department believes the matter has been resolved, the reality on the ground has not changed in any meaningful way,” McCarthy concluded.