asked the Minister for Finance when it is hoped to complete work on the deep-water pier at Crookhaven, in view of the fact that the grant for the work has already been approved.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - West Cork Pier.
One of the necessary conditions for the sanction of a grant from the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote towards the cost of constructing or improving piers and slipways is that the county council concerned will contribute to the cost of the works and undertake to maintain them on completion.
An application for the repair and improvement of a privately-owned pier at Crookhaven has been the subject of correspondence between my office and the Cork County Council for a considerable time past, but legal difficulties prevented the council from making arrangements to acquire the interest of the present owners of the pier, without which the conditions necessary to secure a grant towards the cost of the proposal could not be fulfilled.
The council recently advised my office that local requirements would be met by the repair of another pier at Crookhaven, for the maintenance of which they are themselves responsible, and they were informed that this was a matter to be dealt with from their own funds.
In view of the fact that some time ago a £750 grant was made available for the repair of this deep-water pier at Crookhaven, would the Parliamentary Secretary indicate what new difficulties have arisen to prevent the carrying out of the scheme, having regard to the fact that this is one of the chief centres of lobster fishing in the country?
I understand an application for this particular work has not come up from the local authority.
Not only did it come up two years ago, but the grant was approved two years ago.
Not for this particular one.
Has the Board of Works lost their files in keeping with the tradition of a previous Government in this respect?
I explained to the Deputy what happened in my answer.
A sum of £750 was voted to repair this pier, but the Parliamentary Secretary does not even seem to know the existence of such a grant.
Yes.
Was not the only difficulty that existed caused by the delay of the Department when the last occupier of the land was prepared to give it to them gratuitously? They held it up so long that he died, and now it is held up while the widow is trying to get probate in order to give them the same right again.
I do not think I was in office when that occurred.
That is a great satisfaction to the people of Crookhaven.