asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the date of appointment of the present Chairman of BIM; and to confirm the date on which he was appointed Chief Executive of the Board; if that appointment was made by him; and, if so, the date on which such approval was given and confirmed by the Minister for Finance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bord Iascaigh Mhara.
1.
The present chairman of BIM was appointed a member and chairman of the board by the then Parliamentary Secretary in charge of fisheries with effect from January 1963. He was appointed chief executive by the board on 3 January 1963. The approval of the Minister in charge of Fisheries or the Minister for Finance was not required for the latter appointment.
2.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry to state the capital cost of each boatyard owned by BIM.
The capital cost of each of the three boatyards owned by BIM up to 31 December 1977 was as follows:— Killybegs, £402,294; Baltimore, £294,592; Dingle, £114,353.
I should add, however, that the book value of each as at 31 December 1977 was as follows:— Killybegs, £219,588, Baltimore, £186,942; Dingle, £48,512.
3.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the amount due for bank loans by BIM for the years 1976, 1977 and 1978 and the arrangement for the repayment of such bank loans.
Bank Loans of £2,981,615 and £3,652,914 were outstanding on 31 December 1976 and 31 December 1977 respectively. The figure for 1978 is not yet available.
These loans were in respect of bridging finance to fund progress payments on fishing vessels under construction in Irish boatyards. Repayment is made when a vessel is completed and long-term finance has been provided by the commercial banks to the purchaser of the vessel.