Wicklow TD Expresses Frustration At Ongoing Delays In Greystones Coast Guard Station Project

Planning permission for the project was granted by Wicklow County Council back in 2020.

Since then, the project has been plagued by a series of setbacks and false starts, causing growing frustration among Coast Guard personnel and local communities.

Speaking about the delays, Wicklow TD John Brady said:

“The continued setbacks in developing the new Greystones Coast Guard station are simply unacceptable. This project was given planning permission by Wicklow County Council in 2020, but since then it has been repeatedly delayed, leaving our Coast Guard personnel forced to operate from a facility that is not fit for purpose. Meanwhile, the local community has been left in the dark about when this crucial development will be completed.

In the latest update from the Minister for Transport, he states that many of the challenges delaying the project have now been addressed. Despite a tendering process being pulled in 2023 for technical reasons, the Department of Transport has completed a new tendering process, which began in December 2024. Tenders were returned by 25th March 2025 and are currently being assessed. The Office of Public Works (OPW) is expected to provide a tender assessment report and recommendation to the Department by the end of April 2025, with the aim of placing the construction contract with the preferred bidder shortly thereafter.

The Minister’s update also highlighted several factors he states contributed to delays, including what he states was the need for design revisions to achieve value for money, the requirement for a new planning application midway through the process, difficulties securing vacant possession of the site, and challenges in earlier procurement processes relating to competitiveness.

While I recognise that some progress has been made in addressing these challenges, the history of delays leaves me sceptical about how quickly we can expect this project to move forward. The Coast Guard station is an essential piece of infrastructure for the safety and security of our coastal communities, and every delay only increases the vulnerability of our coastline.

I will continue to apply pressure on both the Department of Transport and the Office of Public Works to ensure that this project moves to construction without any further hindrances. The people of Greystones and the surrounding areas deserve better, and it is vital that the construction of the Greystones Coast Guard Station is expedited for the safety of everyone.”