asked the Minister for Transport the steps he is taking to provide a ferry service between Cork and South Wales.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Cork-Wales Ferry Service .
7.
: As the Deputy is aware, because of the substantial losses being incurred on the company's car ferry service between Cork and Pembroke, the board of the B & I decided to terminate the service with effect from January, 1983.
In order to minimise the effect however of the withdrawal of the service on tourism in the Cork-Kerry region the board of B & I, at the request of the Government, has agreed to provide a summer car ferry service on the Cork-Pembroke route for the 1983 season. The service will operate from mid-June to mid-September.
: Has the Minister any plans to monitor this service and to extend the service to the whole year if the summer service is substantially profitable?
: I would be delighted if we could provide an all-the-year-round service again. As Deputy Wilson is aware, the Cork-Pembroke all-the-year-round service has been very unprofitable. I will, of course, watch very closely the performance of the summer service this year and the better the results of the service the better the prospects for the future.
: As the Minister is aware, it is very difficult to disentangle the losses on the Cork-Pembroke, Rosslare-Pembroke and Dublin services and very difficult to pinpoint the exact losses on the Cork services. Is the Minister aware that it is usually said that it is £1,500,000 each in this kind of round about way which is not very satisfactory?
: There are some difficulties in apportioning overheads for different services where there are joint overheads. On the other hand, boards of State companies are appointed to run the companies on behalf of the State and Ministers have to rely on the information provided to them by the companies. This is the information that has been provided by the B & I company and I am satisfied it is as accurate as possible.
: Do I get the impression from the Minister that he now feels he is delivering his obligation to Cork because there is a temporary sailing between Cork and South Wales for the summer?
: That seems to be a general question.
: The Minister has not answered Deputy Wilson's question. What steps has he taken, as requested by the deputation who met him many months ago, to establish a permanent sailing between Cork and South Wales on the lines of the service which operated very successfully between Cork and Swansea for at least a decade? What positive steps has the Minister taken since meeting that deputation in the interests of Cork?
: The first positive step is the provision of a summer service which, as I said, has been provided by B & I at the Government's express request. As I said, I would be anxious, if it could be provided, to have an all year service provided without cost to the Exchequer. The Deputy can be assured that I am examining and will continue to examine every possibility in that regard.
: I want straight answers. What steps has the Minister taken since he met that deputation about a permanent service? He has already told the House that the B & I company took a decision to lay on a summer service. Now he has said that it was at his express request. I am not pushed how it came into being. I welcome it, but it is not going far enough. What specific steps has the Minister taken to involve B & I, Irish Continental Line or somebody else into a permanent link between Cork and South Wales on a regular basis, which was operated for over a decade between Cork and Swansea?
: It would be wrong of me to pre-empt a situation and to take any pre-emptive steps in relation to the future. It is only fair that I should wait and see how this summer service performs and then see where we go from there. I am sure the Deputy understands that it is better to give the summer service a chance, see how it performs and see if it provides any possibilities for extension of the service.
: There are two separate issues involved here.
: What is the possible date of the commencement of the summer service?
: Mid-June.
: That is mid summer which is very late for the tourist industry, the hotels and the loss of jobs. The southern region is very important from the point of vew of tourism and hotels.
: I do not have the precise date with me.
: Would the Minister have a look at bringing the date forward?
: From recollection, I can say that the service will commence on 15 June.
: Could the Minister bring it forward to May?
: That is not a matter for me. It is one for the B & I company.
: The Minister is responsible for the company.
: The B & I company have been requested to provide a summer service. They came back to me with a proposal in relation to the summer service. It was for a summer service from 15 June to approximately 15 September and I approved of that proposal.
: End of story.
(Interruptions.)
: Is the Minister aware of the repercussions?