Search

26 Mar 2026

Louth councillor pushes for support of navigation safety on Carlingford Lough

Cllr John Reilly tables motion in support of navigation safety

Louth councillor pushes for support of navigation safety on Carlingford Lough

Cllr Reilly is seeking support for the Carlingford Lough Commission in acquiring a new navigation maintenance vessel.

Reporter:

Donard McCabe

17 Jul 2025 1:00 PM

Louth County Councillor John Reilly has tabled a motion at the July council meeting, seeking support for the Carlingford Lough Commission in acquiring a new navigation maintenance vessel.
Cllr Reilly's motion reads: "That Louth County Council provide any assistance at its disposal to support the sourcing of funding for a navigation vessel for the Carlingford Lough Commission to facilitate the safe navigation of both commercial shipping and recreational sailing on Carlingford Lough."
Cllr Reilly said the motion reflects the importance of the Commission’s work in maintaining essential maritime safety infrastructure across Carlingford Lough — a body that straddles the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and plays a critical role in both economies.
The Carlingford Lough Commission, originally established in the 1840s, predates Irish partition and currently maintains around 26 navigation buoys on the Lough. These buoys assist both commercial shipping vessels and pleasure craft as they navigate the waterway. Approximately eight of these buoys are located in Irish territorial waters, and are essential for ships accessing Greenore Port, while the remainder serve Warrenpoint Harbour.
“The current maintenance vessel is coming to the end of its working life,” said Cllr. Reilly. “The Commission is now seeking to purchase a smaller, more modern craft that will allow them to carry out essential maintenance and ensure safety on the Lough continues uninterrupted.”
The estimated cost of the new vessel is £75,000 sterling, and Cllr. Reilly is calling for Louth County Council to assist in any way possible, including identifying cross-border or EU funding avenues, to ensure what he says is a vital asset, is secured.
“This is about more than just one vessel,” he said. “It’s about recognising and supporting the quiet but vital work done by the Carlingford Lough Commission — work that supports trade, tourism, and safety on both sides of the border.”

To continue reading this article,
please subscribe and support local journalism!

Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles.

Subscribe

To continue reading this article for FREE,
please kindly register and/or log in.

Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites. You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news!

Register / Login

Most Popular

Sponsored Content

Multimedia

We've got Donegal Covered...

Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie

Buy a paper

Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.

Buy Now
Get the news

Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.

Register Here
Iconic Media is Ireland's largest independently owned regional newspaper and media group, with an unrivalled audience in print, online and mobile. We have 19 regional newspapers and 21 digital sites.

Iconic Digital Titles

  • Carlow Live
  • Clare Live
  • Derry Now
  • Donegal Live
  • Éire Bheo
  • Inish Live
  • Ireland Live
  • Kildare Live
  • Kildare Now
  • Kilkenny Live
  • Laois Live
  • Leitrim Live
  • Letterkenny Live
  • Limerick Live
  • Longford Live
  • Louth Live
  • Mayo Live
  • Nenagh Live
  • Offaly Live
  • Tipperary Live
  • Waterford Live

    • Iconic Print Titles

  • Clonmel Nationalist
  • County Derry Post
  • Derry News
  • Donegal Democrat
  • Donegal Post
  • Dundalk Democrat
  • Homes in Donegal
  • Inish Times
  • Kilkenny People
  • Leinster Express
  • Leinster Leader
  • Leitrim Observer
  • Letterkenny Live
  • Limerick Leader
  • Longford Leader
  • Mayo News
  • Midland Tribune
  • Tipperary Star
  • Tullamore Tribune

    • This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.

    © 2026 Iconic Media