asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of additional road grant which has been given to Donegal County Council to meet the recommendations contained in the cross-Border communications study for the Derry/Donegal area.
73.
Written Answers. - Derry-Donegal Development.
72.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the total amount received from EEC funds towards the implementation of the cross-Border communications study for the Derry-Donegal area; if the recommendation in the report that the works set out be completed within the specified time will be adhered to; and if the fund of £50 million based on £25 million from the EEC and the balance shared equally by the British and Irish Governments is still a commitment.
74.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will confirm if an application has been made for a grant from the European Regional Development Fund for Greencastle Harbour development and if he will make a statement in this regard in relation to the development as outlined in the cross-Border study dealing with the Derry-Donegal area.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 73 and 74 together.
In June 1978 the Government reached agreement in principle on a programme of implementation covering the main areas of the consultants' recommendations in the Derry-Donegal report. As outlined previously in the Dáil on 14 February 1979 this programme envisaged:
(a) Full implementation of the consultants' recommendations for the road programme for North Donegal up to 1985,
(b) Joint action with the appropriate authorities in Northern Ireland to effect improvements in the cross-Border passenger bus service in the area,
(c) Consultation with the appropriate authorities in Britain and in Northern Ireland with a view to reaching agreement on establishing an air link between Eglinton Airport and Dublin,
(d) Consultation with appropriate authorities in Northern Ireland to pursue certain joint measures for the development of tourism and the co-ordination of tourism promotion on the lines recommended by the consultants,
(e) Conversion of Letterkenny exchange to automatic working,
(f) Laying of a cross-Border cable between Derry and Bridgend to facilitate direct dialling between Donegal, Derry and the Belfast area.
In April 1979 and again in May 1980 a detailed progress report on the implementation of the recommendations in the Derry-Donegal report was forwarded to the Secretary of Donegal County Council. Again with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to circulate a statement setting out a detailed up-to-date account on the implementation of the study recommendations.
It is the intention of the Government that what was agreed in the Government decision of June 1978 will be pursued to the fullest extent possible. Details of the moneys allocated in 1979 and 1980 for the implementation of the roads programme are outlined in detail in the statement which has been circulated. It is not possible to identify within these figures the specific elements which are additional to normal financing but the Deputy can take it that the Government's commitment to the implementation of the roads programme still stands. In this context the Taoiseach, at his recent meeting with a cross-Border delegation from the Derry-Donegal area, undertook to see what additional financing to that already allocated could be provided in the current year. A technical and financial review and assessment of present progress and scheduled completion dates of the roads programme is also being undertaken.
With regard to ERDF aid generally for the implementation of the recommendations of the report these are set out in some detail in the statement.
With reference to the proposed works at Greencastle Harbour, Co. Donegal, the statement which has been circulated gives a detailed account of the proposed works. In relation to European Regional Development Fund aid I understand that the proposed scheme has not yet been put forward for such aid. This scheme, however, will be considered for inclusion in a forthcoming application for ERDF aid at the appropriate time. This would be in or around the time that the contract for the work has been placed.
I am not aware of any fund in the amount of £50 million which the Deputy refers to. It is expected, however, that Border areas North and South will benefit under the non-quota section of the European Regional Development Fund. Following representations by the Government when the fund regulation was under consideration, the Council of Ministers agreed that Irish border areas would be eligible for consideration. The Commission of the European Communities adopted and forwarded to the Council of Ministers a number of proposals under this heading including a proposal to make available 16 million units of account for tourism and craft industries on this side of the Border; and eight million units of account in Northern Ireland border areas. We are hopeful that these proposals will now be adopted by the Council of Ministers in July.
As I have indicated the Taoiseach met with a cross-Border delegation from Donegal Regional Development Organisation and the Foyle Development Organisation and Strabane District Council on 4 June 1980. In the course of this meeting the Taoiseach reaffirmed the Government's commitment to the development of County Donegal and to cross-Border co-operation, and indicated that he would consider the points made by the delegation as sympathetically as possible. In the course of these discussions the Taoiseach reaffirmed the offer of the Irish Government to extend its financial assistance to the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Bus Company for a further period in order to ensure the maintenance of cross-Border road passenger services in the Derry-Donegal area. He also indicated the Government's readiness to bear an appropriate share of the cost of any initial subsidisation required to support the provision of an air service between Eglinton Airport, County Derry and Dublin as recommended in the Derry-Donegal Study and he undertook to use his good offices to ensure the continuation of the CIE rail freight operation based in Derry. The Taoiseach also announced that the Minister of State at the Department of Transport would have special responsibility for advancing the implementation of the Derry-Donegal Report in the Donegal area and in particular for bringing forward proposals as soon as possible for the provision of a suitable air facility in the East Donegal area.
Progress Report on Implementation of Cross-Border Communications Study for the Derry and Donegal Area.
1. In 1976 the British and Irish Governments appointed consultants to carry out a study on cross-Border communications with the following terms of reference:—
"To examine communications, including transportation (e.g. roads, railways, ports, airports, telecommunications) in the Derry and Donegal area in the light of existing projects and plans in order to determine their adequacy and to make recommendations for future development, having regard to financial constraints".
The consultants' report, half the cost of which was financed from the EEC Regional Fund, was published in December 1977. Subsequently the main recommendations of the report were endorsed in a separate study carried out by the EEC Economic and Social Committee which was published in June 1978.
2. The implementation of the recommendations in the consultants' report is being monitored at official level by representatives from the respective Government Departments. Meetings at both ministerial and official level have also taken place with local interests, including local councillors. Deputations from the three councils in the area had meetings with Mr. Don Concannon, then Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office, and with Mr. Michael O'Kennedy, then Minister for Foreign Affairs in February 1979. Both Minister emphasised to the deputations their appreciation of the work done by the councils in relation to the report and their desire to keep the councils briefed fully and regularly on the measure of implementation proposed. They undertook to communicate to the councils a progress report on the implementation of the report which they did in April 1979. The information now given provides a further updating on progress in the Donegal area:
(a) Roads
As recommended by the consultants the first stage of the road programme for North Donegal will be implemented in full.
1979 Financing (updating of April 1979 Progress Report)
Road grants allocated for work in the Donegal section of the study area in 1979 included £265,000 for schemes on the Letterkenny/Derry Road (National Primary N. 13):, £50,000 for the completion of the Lifford by-pass part 1: £30,000 for the Letterkenny by-pass and £88,900 for the Stranorlar/Letterkenny route (including Kilmacrennan Bridge section). In addition to the above grants totalling £433,900 a general block grant of £781,000 was allocated to Donegal County Council for 1979 for work at the discretion of the council on roads other than national roads.
1980 Financing
Road grants allocated for work in the Donegal section of the study in 1980 include £263,000 on the Letterkenny/ Derry Road, (National Primary N. 13):, £20,000 for the completion of the Lifford by-pass, and £67,000 for the Stranorlar/Letterkenny route. In addition to the above grants totalling £350,000 a general block grant of £824,000 has been allocated to Donegal County Council for 1980 for work on roads at the discretion of the council, on roads other than national roads.
The detailed position regarding the road improvements in Donegal is as follows:
Inter-Urban Roads
(I) Letterkenny/Pluck Cross, N. 13 National Primary
Outline design has been completed, and a detailed ground survey has been carried out to enable the detailed road design to proceed.
At the present rate of progress it is expected that it will be possible for work to begin on the scheme towards the end of 1980. The design involved a detour from the existing route at Pluck Cross, connecting back at Manorcunningham on the Derry side.
(II) Bridgend/Pluck Cross, N.13 National Primary
Two remaining sections of this route are included in current improvement programmes: (a) 1 mile at Manorcunningham adjoining Letterkenny-Pluck Cross route:, (b) Newtowncunningham by-pass.
Scheme (a)
Construction of the scheme has commenced. Prospects are that it will take a further year to complete the scheme.
Scheme (b)
Outline design stage for this scheme has been completed.
(III) Letterkenny/Kilmacrennan, N.56 National Secondary
Detailed design has been completed for a 1½ mile section of this route adjoining Letterkenny. Improvement work at a bridge on the route, South of Kilmacrennan, is in progress, and will be completed in 1980.
(IV) Strabane/Lifford, N.14 National Primary
The proposal involves a through-pass at Lifford and includes two schemes: (a) The Strabane/Letterkenny Link; (b) The Strabane/Ballybofey Link.
Scheme (a) is at an advanced stage of completion and is open to traffic.
Scheme (b) was not included in the programme drawn up by the consultants but is however scheduled in the County Programme for the second half of the 1980s. Detailed design has been completed and land acquisition by CPO confirmed.
(V) Urban through routes
Letterkenny
A scheme linking the Letterkenny/ Pluck Cross and Letterkenny/ Kilmacrennan Roads has been in progress since 1977 and was opened to traffic early in 1979.
(b) Freight Transport
The legislation governing the operation of Freight Transport Services has been considerably liberalised and amended in the direction recommended by the consultants by the passing by the Oireachtas of the Road Transport Act 1978.
In relation to customs facilities, in September 1979, customs officials from both the United Kingdom and Irish Governments completed an examination of customs requirements in relation to traffic between the two countries. This study took as its starting point the cross-Border customs procedures and documentation. The implementation in due course of recommendations arising from this stage of the review should facilitate speedier completion of formalities and movement of goods across the border. An initial simplification of documentation took place from the beginning of April 1980 with the introduction of an aligned set of just two folios comprising, respectively, customs manifest at exportation and customs report at importation.
(c) Public Passenger Transport
The two Governments have been jointly considering the problems relating to the operation in the area of the Lough Swilly Bus Company, and to this end commissioned a report by industrial consultants costing all aspects of the company's operations. This report was submitted in April 1979 but before decisions could be taken on the report it was found necessary to provide, with the agreement of the Irish Government, short-term support for the company through CIE. The Irish Government has since agreed to an extension for a further period of the existing arrangement between CIE and the company whereby CIE would supply buses and financial support to the company in consideration of the continued provision of road passenger services in the North Donegal area by the company. Discussions are continuing between the authorities in Dublin and Belfast regarding the possibility of some Northern Ireland involvement in support of the company's cross-Border services.
(d) Ports
Approval has been given for the carrying out of the second stage of the development programme at Greencastle Harbour at an estimated cost of £1.12 million. The scheme will include the extension of the existing pier and the construction of a new pier to provide additional berthage accommodation, deepening of the existing berthage area, reclamation of an area of 8,250 square yards and the provision of an auction hall and other ancillary facilities. It is estimated that the works will take about 4 years to complete. Contract documents are at present being prepared for county council approval prior to going to tender.
(e) Air Transport
In the cross-Border communications study for the Derry/Donegal area it was recommended that the Irish and UK Governments should jointly examine the possibility of establishing a Dublin/-Derry air link "initially with financial support made available to the selected operator for a trial period of say 2/3 years until the prospects for longer term viability could be clearly assessed".
In February 1979 the UK Civil Aviation Authority was jointly commissioned to carry out an economic analysis of a proposed scheduled air service linking Derry and Dublin. The study was designed to assess the possible level of demand for an air link, the cost of providing the service and the level of subsidy required to get the project off the ground.
Broadly speaking the study, having examined the question from the point of view of type of company (entirely new, existing taxi operator etc.) type of aircraft, frequency of service, price levels and levels of demand and using a number of economic analytical methods, found that any service would be loss making, with very little prospects that the service could ever be viable. In the light of this finding, while discussions continue, no positive action to set up such a service has been agreed.
(f) Telecommunication
(i) The conversion to automatic working of the 57 telephone exchanges in North Donegal is going ahead as part of a £6.5 million development programme for the improvement of telecommunications in the area. Letterkenny exchange was converted to automatic in October, 1979 and a main trunk switching exchange and a new operator assistance exchange were brought into service there at the same time. The latter exchanges will serve the entire North Donegal area under automatic conditions. Automatic working was introduced at Bridgend in March 1980. Contracts have already been placed for the supply and installation of the automatic equipment for conversion of 36 exchanges and it is expected that conversion of these will be effected progressively later this year and through 1981. Quotations have been also sought for conversion of a further 7 exchanges.
(ii) Industrial problems have caused a set-back to progress with the Dublin/Sligo/Letterkenny radio links which were previously expected in service in 1979. It is not now expected that the links will be in service before mid-1980.
(iii) In addition to the direct dialling already introduced (as at (i) above), the same facilities will be extended to the other North Donegal exchanges on conversion to automatic. Discussions are continuing between the two authorities on the possibilities of extending cross-Border direct dialling facilities to a greater number of centres on both sides of the Border.
(g) Postal Services
(i) Agreement in principle has been reached between the respective postal authorities to restore the routing of mails to and from County Donegal through Northern Ireland. The operational implications are at present under discussion with the staffs concerned. A final costing of the proposals must await the outcome of these discussions. Provided the cost is not prohibitive and suitable arrangements can be made, the aim is to restore the mail link through Northern Ireland as early as possible this year.
(ii) With regard to the last collection of mail in the North West being processed through Aldergrove, it is now clear that flight times are such that there is no case at present for accelerating the service in this manner.
(h) Tourism
The recommendation by the Consultants that there should be an integrated approach to the development of tourism in the region has led to the establishment of the North West Tourism Co-Operation Group, consisting of 2 officers from each of the Tourist Boards. The Group held an Open Forum session in Derry on 3 October when delegates from interested organisations had an opportunity to put forward their ideas. A further Open Forum Session took place in Donegal Town on 28 March.
Already the Group has under consideration a number of projects. These include a cross Border tourist brochure, which is due to be published this summer and other joint publicity projects. The Group is also examining the feasibility of a car-ferry link with the West of Scotland and is seeking to maximise the potential of the American Heritage Trail concept, and the introduction by Loganair of air services to Eglinton and Enniskillen from Scotland.
3. European Community Financial Aid
A number of the infrastructure projects envisaged in the Consultants Report have already been submitted for assistance under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The position in relation to individual projects is as follows:—
(i) A grant of £1.5 million is being made by the ERDF towards the cost of converting Letterkenny and other smaller exchanges in North Donegal to automatic working. ERDF assistance towards the Dublin/Sligo/Letterkenny radio links has also been agreed in the amount of £135,000.
(ii) As regards roads, schemes costing £423,000 were accepted in 1978 for assistance from the ERDF involving receipts of approximately £127,000. The routes involved included Bridgend/ Pluck Cross (N.13), Letterkenny, Kilmacrennan (N.56), Strabane/Lifford (N.14) and the Letterkenny through route.
(iii) An application in respect of road schemes for which payments totalling £195,000 were made in 1979, and for which payments in 1980 are expected to reach £177,000 has been submitted for approval for assistance from the European Regional Development Fund and will if approved, be in receipt of a grant of approximately £111,000. The routes involved include Letterkenny/ Pluck Cross (N.13), Bridgend/Pluck Cross (N.13) and Stranorlar/ Letterkenny (N.56).
There is every reason to believe that future applications from both Governments will also be favourably considered within the resources of the Fund and that the area as a whole will continue to benefit from EEC assistance. Detailed proposals have been put forward by the Commission on measures for inclusion under the Non-Quota section of the Regional Fund but as yet these have not been agreed.