Construction will start this month on the €35m redevelopment of Cill Rónáin harbour on the Gaeltacht Island of Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands.

Construction and management consultants Healy Kelly Turner & Townsend is acting as cost manager on the project, with Michael Punch & Partners acting as lead consultant.

The redevelopment of Cill Rónáin Harbour is of huge economic importance to the island of Inis Mór, which is located off the west coast of Ireland.

By increasing fishing and berthing facilities at the port both Galway County Council and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht affairs aim to economically regenerate this area.

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Construction will involve the development of a new sheltered harbour consisting of stone breakwater, dredging of approximately 100,000 cubic metres, construction of a new fishing quay, new parking areas, new cargo quay and ro-ro slipway and an RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute) facility. This will be one of the largest marine civil engineering projects ever commissioned by Galway County Council.

Mark Kelly, Managing Director of Healy Kelly Turner & Townsend commented: "This is a fantastic project to be involved with particularly because it is of such cultural importance to Ireland. Healy Kelly Turner & Townsend has developed quite a history of working on many marine and civil engineering type projects that have involved preserving an industry that makes such a significant contribution to the economic and social fabric to many of Ireland's coastal towns and Islands."

The project is due to be completed in March 2010.

(NS/JM)