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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Dec 1956

Vol. 160 No. 14

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ballina Harbour Improvements.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the fact that the Moy Harbour Commissioners made an application to his Department on 3rd August last for a grant to improve Ballina harbour and that no reply other than a formal acknowledgment has been received, he will take steps to have the application considered in the immediate future.

The application of the Harbour Commissioners has been under consideration and I will endeavour to let them have a reply at an early date.

Could the Minister be more specific and indicate approximately what he means by "an early date"? Does he mean a month, a week or what? This answer has been given on more than one occasion. I should like the Minister to be more specific.

In a matter of this kind, I have to be guided by two bodies— (1) what the inter-departmental committee on financial assistance to harbours thinks and (2) the practicability of the schemes from the standpoint of their engineering possibilities. In that connection, the Board of Works acts as my adviser. I hope to have the matter sufficiently clear to be able to enable the Deputy to let the Harbour Commissioners know our attitude about the matter. I take it the Deputy is aware that the request in this matter involves an expenditure of £174,000 on one project and £134,000 on the other, making a grand total of over £300,000 for one harbour.

It would be well worth it.

In four months, we have got only a formal acknowledgment.

I have explained to the Deputy that a decision can be made only when certain matters are clear. I cannot clear them.

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