Dublin Harbour Capital Dredging Project Foreshore Application

This foreshore application is for the loading and dumping of dredged material arising from proposed capital dredging within Dublin Harbour to allow for the safe passage and berthage of vessels of deeper draught expected to visit Dublin Port. No further capital dredging of Dublin Bay is required. The loading of dredged material will be restricted to those areas of the navigation channel, basins and berthing pockets which contain sediments which are suitable for disposal at sea (Class 1: uncontaminated, no biological effects likely). It is proposed to dispose of the dredged sediments at the existing licensed offshore disposal site located at the entrance to Dublin Bay to the west of the Burford Bank, (6.75 km from the lighthouse at the end of the Great South Wall). 

The approximate total amount of material to be dredged is 500,000 m3 and it consists of a mixture of clay, silt, sand, gravel and cobbles. No dredging of rock is required. Dredging will be carried out by a trailer suction hopper dredger and/or backhoe dredger and support vessels. It is proposed to limit the capital dredging and disposal at sea operations between October to March annually over an eight year period commencing October 2022. This time period will enable the capital dredging to be delivered through a series of discrete work packages to minimise disruption to existing port activities.

An Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and Natura Impact Statement (NIS) have been prepared in respect of this proposal. The foreshore application, EIAR, NIS, associated documents, all relevant maps, site plans and drawings are available to view on this website. 

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is responsible for making a decision on this application and he may either grant, approve or consent to the application with or without covenants, conditions or agreements, where applicable, or refuse the application. 

Section 19C of the Foreshore Act does not apply to this application. 

Submissions, comments or questions in relation to the proposal may be made in writing within 8 weeks from the publication of this Public Notice in the Dublin People and the Irish Times on the 12th January 2022 to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage at Foreshore Section, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage at Newtown Road, Wexford, Co. Wexford or by e-mail to foreshore@housing.gov.ie (Quoting Ref: FS 007164). The closing date for the receipt of written submissions, comments or questions is therefore 17:30 on the 9th March 2022. 

All objections and representations will be forwarded to Dublin Port Company for comment prior to any decision being made in the matter. Material upon which the Minister shall determine this application will be published on the Department’s website.