Bonfire in same place this Twelfth

And Derwyn Brewster, Chairperson of Bushmills Residents and Environmental Forum, said the bonfire will go ahead in the normal place this year at Dundarave.

There has been a debate in recent months concerning the positioning of the bonfire and how it will impact on plans for a new quarter of a million pounds changing room facility being provided by Moyle District Council at Dundarave.

And there had been discussions about whether the work on the new changing rooms would take place ahead of this year's bonfire being held.

On Friday, Moyle Council issued the following public statement on the issue.

Entitled 'Way forward sought on Bushmills bonfire' the statement reads: 'Recent reports have created some confusion regarding the installation of the new changing room facilities at Dundarave in Bushmills as the site to be developed is currently also host to the traditional Eleventh night bonfire.

'Whilst it is the intention of the Council to begin the work as soon as possible it will be some time before an appropriate contractor will be appointed to begin the project and will not be in a position to deliver the works until early August. As a result, the location of the bonfire where it is currently situated will not be disturbed by July 2010.

'Given that the new changing rooms represent a 250,000 investment in the area, concerns have been raised that if the bonfire were to remain in this location on an annual basis then it may cause damage to the facilities and unnecessary disruption for local users and expense for the ratepayers of Moyle.

'Subsequently, Council Officers and others, are currently working with local community representatives to design a consultation process to reach an agreement on the bonfire site for the wider benefit of the area in July 2011 and beyond,' said the statement.

In response, Derwyn Brewster said: "Councillors and the Council in general would need to start to communicate with each other better because each department does not appear to know what each other is doing.

"Local councillors are out of touch with this community. We have full support from the schools and the churches on this bonfire matter. The changing rooms are 30 years over due and a lot of work has already been done for a new site for the bonfire but I will say that Moyle District Council will not dictate to this community on bonfires, or for that matter, on flags.

"There has been a series of meetings with young people to see where they would like the bonfire moved to and there will be a full consultation with this community and in the mean time the bonfire will go ahead in its usual position this year," said Mr Brewster.