Controversial pontoon taken down in Hodson Bay

TG4 has confirmed “a temporary pontoon” or walkway erected in Hodson Bay which had provoked much criticism and questions online and on social media in recent days has now been removed.

Following a query from the Westmeath Independent, TG4 explained that is producing a series in the area, and the production company involved erected “a temporary pontoon” or walkway in the water to allow the schools participating in the programme to watch the activities on the bay.

A reader, who did not wish to be named, had earlier contacted this paper in relation to the pontoon expressing concern that it was reducing public access to the lake amenity, and querying who had put it up in the first place. She also asked whether it had planning permission in such an environmental sensitive area that is so important for wildlife.

The reader also claimed a security guard had asked her not to swim in the area last Saturday week (September 10), before getting on the phone, and later telling her she could.

When asked about this, the TG4 spokesperson replied: “Passive security were on-site at weekends from 8am to 8pm. They were employed in a capacity to keep people off the pontoon itself.”

While the station did not divulge the name of the programme or when it will be broadcast or when exactly it took the pontoon down, it's understood the TV show will centre on outdoor sports and features the nearby Baysports centre.

The TV station, based in Baile na hAbhann, in Co Galway, rejected any suggestion that the temporary pontoon or walkway in Hodson Bay reduced the public amenity for swimmers.

“The opening to the North Bay area where the pontoon was erected is over 21m wide and the pontoon is only 2.5m wide, allowing plenty of room for swimmers.

“The depth at the start of the pontoon was only 10mm of water and at its deepest 300mm, this entire area is too shallow to swim in,” the TG4 spokesperson explained, stressing that there was no damage to the reed bed or wildlife in the area.

She said a very dangerous stump was discovered below the surface of the water that could have been very dangerous to swimmers which was covered up with a traffic cone to make it more visible to the public. The Westmeath Independent reader, who raised the issue in the first place, said the pontoon was removed early on Monday morning.

In a brief statement, Roscommon County Council said it was aware of the pontoon, having received a number of complaints over the last two weeks.

"A planning enforcement file was opened on receipt of the initial complaint and a Warning Letter issued under Section 152 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended)," the spokesperson said.