asked the Minister for Finance if a contract has been placed for the building of a new fishery harbour at Rossaveale, Connemara, County Galway; if so, when he expects that work on this harbour will begin; and if he will make a statement on the present position.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Galway Harbour.
41.
It has become necessary in this case to review the tenders received but it is still hoped to commence work in the present year.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary give us some information regarding the delays that have occurred to date in relation to the construction of this pier, work on which was to have begun about two and a half years ago? There have been difficulties and there is much confusion in Connemara among persons interested in the development of fishing——
The Deputy is embarking on a statement.
It would be helpful if the Parliamentary Secretary could give us some explanation.
Mr. Kenny
A tender was accepted on the 13th February, 1973, and a public announcement to that effect was made by the Deputy in question, Deputy Molloy, who was then Minister for Local Government. The firm concerned did not have experience of dredging and underwater blasting nor had they the necessary special plant. The acceptance of their tender was conditional on their making satisfactory arrangements for the execution of this part of the scheme by a firm competent in that field. Pending the compliance with the requirements, the contract agreement was not executed. It is now very likely that a contract will be settled with another competing contractor in the near future provided the Minister for Finance sanctions the increase in cost which this would entail. That is the clarified statement which I have to offer the Deputy.
I am grateful to the Parliamentary Secretary for having set part of the record straight, but there were delays in the two years prior to the March, 1973, date which he mentioned. It is only fair to the House and those concerned——
Could I have a question from the Deputy?
——that we should know why this scheme was delayed for two years. Were there meetings between officials of his Department and the Fisheries Section with the fishermen and others interested in the pier to consider the original plans? Was there a request from the fishermen then to enlarge the development of Rossaveale, to change the plans that it was proposed to go ahead with at that time and was this agreed to and did it take two years to revise the drawings and get the scheme to tender stage? That two year delay was a genuine delay and it was at the request of the fishermen themselves.
We cannot have a debate on this matter at this stage.
I would like the Parliamentary Secretary to clarify that what I have said is true.
Mr. Kenny
I cannot tell the Deputy that until I look up the file. If the Deputy asks another question about the period prior to 1973, I will answer that.