asked the Minister for Agriculture if the director of the land reclamation scheme received a joint application for a land rehabilitation grant for the fencing of the cliffs on Gole Island, County Donegal; and, if so, what decision has been taken on the application.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Rehabilitation Grant.
A joint application for the fencing of the cliffs on Gole Island was received in my Department. It is, however, considered that the advantages to be derived by the islanders would not be commensurate with the very high cost of the work.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that year after year the islanders are losing their stock of cattle because they fall over these cliffs? Their financial resources are now exhausted in an endeavour to fence these cliffs. Would the Parliamentary Secretary come to their assistance by way of a grant to enable them to keep up the good work they have been doing?
This proposal was putup in August, 1950, and was turned down at that time on the ground of cost. The three miles of fencing would have cost £3,300 and it was thought that there was no proper proportion between the cost and the utility of the work.
They have done some of the fencing since and it would not require three miles of fencing now and perhaps the Parliamentary Secretary would have it examined again.
It is not possible to put down concrete posts because of the rocky nature of the ground, and iron posts would not last very long because of the proximity to the sea.