asked the Minister for Lands if he has considered the necessity for the improvement of landing facilities at Portaleen harbour in Inishowen, and if so, if he will make a statement in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Portaleen (Donegal) Harbour.
I find that the question of the improvement of the landing facilities at Portaleen has been under consideration in my Department for a number of years past, the main proposal urged by local interests being for the construction of a dock basin. Following a close survery of the site in 1953, the Office of Public Works concluded that the order of cost of the cheapest feasible scheme of this nature would be £250,000 and that a full harbour of refuge would cost some £400,000. On the 18th January,1954, the Donegal County County Council was officially informed that a case could not be made for incurring expenditure of this order and the council was invited to consider in a preliminary way an alternative but smaller scheme consisting of the provision of slipping, lifting and storage facilties.
In February, 1954, the Donegal County Engineer, who took the view that adequate shelter in a revised form could be provided at appreciably lower cost than that estimated by the Office of Public Works, undertook to furnish his council with details of the plan he had in mind. On receipt of such plan in June, 1955, it was examined by the Office of Public Works, which office, following certain clarification of the details by the county engineer and evaluation of the material of supplied, concluded that the estimated cost of the county engineer's proposal, when due allowance had been made for all relevant factors, could not be measured at less than£240,000. In the circumstances, the Donegal County Council was informed on 26th October, 1956, that expenditure of that order could not be recommended on the improvement of the landing facilities and was asked to indicate if it had any other proposals in the matter. No alternative proposal has so far been received from the council.
Could the Minister state what was the cost of the various surveys down through the years?
I am afraid I have not the figures.