Pontoon access measures to be introduced in Passage West 

CORK County council are set to implement new access measures at the site of a platoon in Passage West weeks after a Cork teenager tragically died in the area. 

Cork County Council Senior Executive Officer Nicola Radley responded to concerns from Independent councillor Marcia D’alton who penned a letter to the Chief Executive with a view to having a lock or card system activated at the gate of the pontoon.

She was speaking less than a month after 14-year-old Coláiste Éamann Rís student Jack O’Sullivan from Deerpark lost his life while swimming in the area.

He had been swimming off the boat pontoon last month when he tragically got into difficulty. The emergency prompted a multi-agency search and rescue operation.

“We would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to the family on their tragic loss”, Ms Radley said at a meeting of the Carragaline Municipal District yesterday. 

"Passage West is one of 14 council owned pontoon facilities in place where there are a wide range of access arrangements. There are a wide range of facilities that are gated, not gated with access controlled and open access. There are also a wide range of uses ranging from recreational to commercial and everything in between. Our municipal district officer has been in constant detailed contact with the harbour master’s office and can assure that they are investigating practical appropriate measures. 

"An action has been identified and it is their intention to implement that within in the coming days. 

"I won’t elaborate any further but it will be a matter of days before this happens."

Independent councillor Marcia D’Alton praised Cork County Council who she said are taking action in response to the issue.

"This was never going to prevent a tragedy but it was the right thing for the gate to be fixed and that’s why I felt the need to bring this up. I am conscious that this is a very sensitive matter so I felt it only right to wait to raise the concern. There needs to be management of council facilities. Moreover, we need to build on the resources of the old infrastructure that we don’t develop because due to the lack resources to turn it into something for the modern era."