The State's only integrated coastal zone management initiative under EU guidelines has been wound up due to lack of Government support.
Key stakeholders in the Bantry Bay Charter have expressed severe disappointment at the refusal by Government Departments to continue funding the initiative, which has been described by scientists and planners as a model for Europe.
The charter project dates back to 1997, and aimed to bring together competing interests in a highly sensitive coastal area hit by the Betelgeuse disaster in 1979. It was originally funded under the EU Life programme in partnership with Cork County Council, University College Cork and Cork Institute of Technology.
The final 120-page document was regarded as a significant achievement when fish farmers, the Bantry oil terminal, tourism, agricultural and other interests signed up to it almost three years ago.
Underpinned by Cork County Council for the last two years, the project's future was dependent on the support of Government Departments responsible for coastal zone management, including the Department of Communications, the Marine and Natural Resources, the Environment and Agriculture. However, an attempt by the local authority to split the cost of the initiative from this year did not receive support from any of the Departments, and the decision was taken to abandon the initiative several weeks ago.
Estimated annual cost to maintain it was €179,000, according to the council, which has said it is "unfortunate" that it had to be closed down. The local authority had been prepared to put up €50,000 of this annually. The charter project team involved a staff of three in Bantry, while stakeholders and participants in the "round table" gave of their own time, without any expenses.
Mr Peter Webster of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), who was one of the participants, said that he was "personally disappointed", given the valuable work undertaken - while making it clear he could not comment officially for the EPA.
"The charter project team achieved the remarkable position in bringing together under one umbrella a very diverse group of community interest groups and state bodies," Mr Webster said, and he doubted if the initiative could have succeeded without the team's work.
Mr Seamus O'Connor of Bantry Oil Terminals said that it was "a real exercise in local democracy", and, as such, should be maintained. He expressed concern about the future of the charter, which involved a series of principles and guidelines to co-ordinate the work of some 13 Government departments with responsibility in the area, to make provision for oil emergencies and to protect an environment supporting a community of 12,000.
Mr Tony Cohu of the Cork Environmental Forum, said the charter represented "a clear example of how enormously complex environmental social and economic issues in a coastal area can be addressed and resolved into workable solutions by and for the local communities involved". It was one of the finest projects of its kind in Europe, let alone Ireland, he said, and a model for Local Agenda 21 co-operation.
"Having travelled so far to achieve the consensus that was required to create the management plan, and then to begin the crucial implementation phase, it is unthinkable for the stakeholders that the process cannot be completed for lack of funding." There is considerable feeling among them that "for want of a ha'porth of tar the ship went down", he added.
Ms Jacqueline Hodgson of the Global Action Project, who was also a stakeholder, said it was a "disgrace" that no Government Department was prepared to support it. "It will undermine any local support for such an initiative when and if central government wants to get involved again at a local level, and shows there is no real interest in local democracy," she said.
Marine biologist, Prof Trevor Norton, said the charter should "not go under". "Its work is inexpensive, yet priceless."
Ironically, the former marine minister, Mr Frank Fahey, cited the Bantry Bay Charter's success when he announced just over a year ago that he intended to handle coastal zone management at assistant secretary level in his Department. There was no comment yesterday from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.
