asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether he is aware that State Departments and the Cork County Council refused the request of Bantry Town Commissioners for a grant towards the dredging of Bantry Harbour adjacent to the pier, on the grounds that they could not legally provide funds for such work; and, if so, if in view of the urgency of the proposal he will indicate on whom responsibility rests for carrying out such essential schemes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dredging of Bantry Harbour.
14.
Bantry is not scheduled as a harbour under the Harbours Act, 1946 and therefore no statutory harbour authority exists in respect of it. Bantry Pier is the property of the Cork County Council who collect dues from vessels using it, but who, I understand, repudiate legal liability for dredging the berth alongside.
Grants from the limited funds available to my Department are made available only in cases where harbour authorities are unable to meet the full cost of essential and economically justifiable improvements either from their own resources or with assistance from other local interests who will benefit therefrom. Normal maintenance including dredging falls to be met from revenue and grants are not made available therefor. In the circumstances and having regard to the very insignificant use of Bantry Pier by commercial shipping there could be no question of a grant for dredging alongside the Pier being made available by my Department.
Do I understand from the Minister that Bantry pier is insignificant?
No; what I said was that there was "insignificant use of Bantry pier".
Will the Minister not agree that his knowledge of Bantry pier is very limited when he terms the pier an insignificant one?
I said its use was insignificant.
Firms cannot use it until the harbour is dredged and it is with a view to getting a grant from some Department that I put down this question. Is the Minister aware that Bantry Town Commissioners and Bantry traders have made repeated requests to almost every Department in an effort to get a grant? They have been passed around from one Department to another. They applied to the Departments of Finance, Transport and Power and Lands. I addressed this question to the Taoiseach to find out from him what Department or what public funds are available to carry out this essential work.
As the county council are drawing revenue from the pier, I imagine they are the body to whom the Deputy should address his question.
Is the Minister aware that the county council repudiated liability for dredging the pier and that the Departments of Finance, Lands and Transport and Power did likewise? What the Town Commissioners of Bantry and the people and traders of Bantry want to know is on whom responsibility rests to provide funds for this most essential and urgent work.
Since the council own the pier and draw revenue from it, it is at least arguable whether they are entitled to repudiate responsibility.
Am I to understand from the Minister that the law adviser to Cork County Council misinformed the council when he said they were not liable for dredging the harbour adjacent to the pier?
If they felt that they had not sufficient powers, the council should seek such powers, as they own the pier and are drawing revenue from it.
Can the Minister say in plain language where the people of Bantry are to get money to do this work? If the money is not got, the Minister's original statement will be correct: it will become an insignificant pier. Can he tell us where the money is to be got? That is the purpose of the question.
I do not think we can require the council to do it but they are not precluded from doing it and they own the pier and draw revenue from it and should be approached.