asked the Minister for Finance why boring investigations have not been proceeded with at Skerries harbour, County Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Skerries (Dublin) Harbour.
14.
Mr. Kenny
Other important commitments were being attended to and the boring equipment latterly needed servicing. I have hopes that the boring survey at Skerries will commence before the end of this month.
Might I ask the Parliamentary Secretary how long it took to bring that boring mechanism from the west coast to the east coast to carry out this survey?
That is a separate question.
Mr. Kenny
When that boring mechanism came down to Tullaghan Bay, outside Geesala in County Mayo, it had to be fitted out and anchored owing to the very swift current running through the channel there. When that was got together, the weather forbade——
It is the weather now.
Mr. Kenny
No, it is not the weather at all. But if one had to break that up again, without completing the boring in Tullaghan, it would mean that it would have to go to Skerries, finish the job there, and then go back to County Mayo. Therefore, the only alternative was to finish one job at a time; bring in the apparatus, take it asunder, place it on an overland truck and transport it to Skerries.
The Parliamentary Secretary promised that this survey would be started about two months ago.
Mr. Kenny
I said it would be started when the weather below permitted the finalisation of the boring in Tullaghan.
It is over ten years now since the last extension of that harbour which was done by my colleagues on this side of the House, Deputy J. Gibbons, when he was Minister. The fleet has expanded and the necessity for this extension becomes greater every day.
The Deputy is making a statement.
We were promised over two years ago that this work would commence and we still have not got to the boring survey.
Mr. Kenny
According to the records, you were promised seven years ago.
It has not been done. The Minister sitting in front of the Parliamentary Secretary went down and practically opened——
Please, Deputy Burke. Next Question.