Concerns over wildlife could threaten powerboat event

Date Published: 05-Apr-2010

By Darragh McDonagh

THE National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has been asked to undertake a wildlife impact assessment which could threaten a major international powerboat event scheduled to take place on Galway Bay in June.

The Powerboat P1 Superstock Championship has been planned to coincide with the launch of the Around Ireland Offshore Powerboat Race from June 5 to June 7.

The two events are estimated to be worth a combined €30 million to the local economy.

However, An Taisce has written to the NPWS to ask the state body to investigate the potential damage that the event could cause to wildlife in the bay, which they regard as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

“An Taisce wrote to the NPWS, asking them to look at the powerboat race in light of Galway Bay being a Special Area of Conservation,” said Chairman of An Taisce Galway Derrick Hambleton

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel