asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the amount of grant given to a company (name supplied) on their boats (names supplied); whether these boats are still operating; and if any other State assistance was given to this company.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Boat Grants.
21.
This company received a grant of £88,200 and a loan of £9,016. The vessels are not now operating.
Can the Minister say how long, in fact, these vessels did operate? Can he also tell us whether this company is in liquidation? Can he tell us what advice he got that this was a good investment before he subscribed this amount of money to this company?
The company is in liquidation. That is the answer to one question. As to how long they were in operation it would be from when they started until last June or July.
How long was that?
I could not say.
About a year and a half.
If the Deputy says so I am not disputing it. I have not got it here. I was not asked for that item. As to the advice I would have got, or my predecessor would have got, we would have got the same advice from the same source as we would in regard to any other loan proposed for the purchase of fishing vessels from BIM.
Is it not right to say that this was an exceptional case, that this was the first time boats of this size were at sea and a grant paid by the Irish Government? Surely special advice was required in that case?
I cannot speak about what advice was given to my predecessor initially, but I could find that out. It would be unfair to say that I know what that advice was because, on foot of the information supplied with this question, I do not. So far as this matter is concerned, and any other matter of a similar nature that may arise, I would have to have regard to the advice of Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the agencies available to them so long as they remain the competent agencies of advice on the viability or likely potential of any type of boat or new fleet that might be proposed to be purchased. After all, I suppose it is true to say, as a whole, of developments in sea fishing in this country at the moment and indeed the development of new methods of fishing generally, that there always has to be a first time in regard to some of these things. You cannot just continue on in the old ways without making any change.
Is there a lesson to be learned from this that there is no future in this country for boats of this size?
I would not take that from this particular situation at all. It would be unwise to take that as an absolute conclusion.
Question No. 22. We cannot debate this question all evening. We have 130 Questions.
Would the Minister say whether these boats have been sold and, if they have been, at what loss?
Not that I am aware of, Deputy.
That is a separate question.