I have before me a list of speakers on which I understand there has been agreement between the Whips. To remove doubts, I propose to make it an order of the House. The times are as follows: 7 p.m. to 7.10, Deputy P. Gallagher; 7.10 to 7.20, Deputy McGinley; 7.20 to 7.40, Deputy P. Barry, Minister for Foreign Affairs; 7.40 to 7.55, Deputy O'Hanlon; 7.55 to 8.10, Deputy Coughlan; 8.10 to 8.15, Deputy McCartin; 8.15 to 8.30, Deputy Conaghan. Is that agreed?
Private Members' Business. - Border Areas Development: Motion (Resumed).
The following motion was moved by Deputy G. Collins on Tuesday, 21 February 1984:
That Dáil Éireann welcomes the report of the Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities on a development plan for the Irish border areas, and calls on the Government to take all the necessary steps to ensure its early and successful implementation.
Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute:
"notes the Report of the Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities on a development plan for the Irish border areas and urges the Government to have its recommendations fully considered.".
—(Minister for Finance)
Deputies
Yes.
Before we adjourned last night I referred to the greatest problem in the area, the unnatural Border which has been there for so many years. If one looks at the figures, one will discover that the highest rate of unemployment is in the Border counties, the highest rate of all being in my county, particularly in west Donegal. Until such time as we have a definite commitment of intent from the British Government in relation to the Border we can only try to implement many aspects of this report, all of which I would agree with, and many other projects not included in that programme. I will refer to these in the few minutes left to me.
The report states that the Irish Border area is severely handicapped and has a definite claim for assistance from Europe. The income of the people is exceptionally low, there is high unemployment, the farms are small and the soil notably poor. West Donegal epitomises all that is stated in the report.
In relation to road infrastructure, it has been suggested that many roads require immediate attention. Having read the report I am disappointed that the most underdeveloped part of that underdeveloped area has been forgotten completely — west Donegal has not been mentioned and neither have the islands. Some of the main roads have been referred to, but there are no main arteries out of west Donegal. During the last few years the block grant which we received for road improvements has not been increased. If that continues, we will have great difficulty in travelling out of west Donegal.
The Government should consider this seriously. My colleagues will bear me out when I say that the biggest single problem in efforts to entice industrialists into west Donegal is its distance from the harbours of Larne, Dublin and Derry. I hope that such deep water ports as Rathmullen, Killybegs and Burtonport will receive attention and money from the Border funds which have been recommended in the report. That might enable us to survive and to import and export our raw materials and our finished products, because we are not in a position to do this by road.
The main raw material — and it has not been mentioned in the report — is peat from our bogs. Ten acres of bog can produce produce 250 tons of turf, and at £25 per ton it would provide reasonably high wages for one man. They bogs are there but this report does not suggest that money should be made available for access roads to them. Bord na Móna have made money available for private roads but there is no fund for the provision of access roads to turbary plots. We should be thinking along the lines of the war years of 1939 to 1945 when various county councils made money available for this purpose. The report should have taken into consideration the provision of roads into west Donegal and particularly for access roads to turbary plots for the general use of the community.
I was extremely disappointed last night to hear the Minister for Finance say he did not think money should be spent on Border regions until the overall financial position of the Community has reached a certain level. Is the Minister for Finance looking after the affairs of Ireland or the affairs of the EEC? He is making a bad job of what he is doing, but at least while he is there I hope he will look after our affairs, particularly our Border regions. I am fully aware of his interest in those regions because when I made a simple request last year to make a case to the EEC to extend the period in which further aid could be obtained for tourist promotion in the Border areas, he flatly refused to go to Europe to look for an extension. I had no doubt that if he had done it his request would have been treated favourably. I hope other Ministers and the Fine Gael and Labour Deputies from those regions will exert every pressure on the Minister for Finance to accept this report in principle.
I am disappointed not to see reference in the report to fisheries and agriculture. We should note the importance which the State has attached to farm modernisation, but this Government last year in the budget suspended farm modernisation grants, leaving many people in my county in the lurch, people who had arranged bank loans on the basis that they would get those grants. The Government have made some money available this year but on a very limited scale, of no advantage to Border region farmers.
The report is biased in favour of Eglington Airport. The Government must lead the way, because if the Government provide 50 per cent towards the acquisition of a site purchased by Donegal County Council I have on doubt Europe will provide the remainder and furthermore ensure that moneys are made available to give Donegal its required airport, main arterial roads out of the west, and deep-water ports. In conclusion, I welcome this report in general. With some aspects I would not agree, but I hope that moneys are provided where necessary.
I also welcome this report because it confirms the view of an international institution that along the Border is one of the most depressed economic areas of Europe. Those of us who live there and who represent such areas are already aware of this, but it is good and positive that an organisation like the Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities should be willing to say that. I have no doubt whatsoever but that lack of development and economic depression in that area have been caused by the Border which partitioned that area 60 years ago. On looking at the map one can see the ancient city of Derry cut off from its natural hinterland, which is County Donegal, East Donegal. Further south along the Border towns like Strabane and Lifford are cut off from one another and, indeed, as far south as Pettigoe. In one of the maps in this publication the rate of unemployment is given for the various areas along the Border. County Donegal has in excess of 20 per cent of population unemployed. It is obvious that this is higher than any other of the other Twenty-six counties. Admittedly, there are a few darker spots on the other side of the Border, but it has confirmed what we have always said in this House and outside it, that we have there this problem. County Donegal is in the unique position of being geographically in the North of Ireland, politically one can say it is in the South of Ireland but economically it is nowhere, except in the darkest corner.
I am glad to see that this plan covers the entire county of Donegal, and that is as it should be. My only regret — and Deputy Gallagher mentioned this, I believe — is that going through the finer details of this report there are very few plans for development in west Donegal. I refer particularly to that area from Creeslough in the north to Killybegs. Dunkineely and Donegal town in the south. Mind you, there are mentions of other areas in the county, Rhode and so forth, but that vast area, which is probably larger than County Louth, is completely ignored. One of our difficulties with some of the most densely populated rural areas of this country — I talk about the parishes of Gweedore, the Rosses and Cloughineely — is that we have not a proper road into or out of the area. That is putting a definite damper on any development which could take place there. I have had the experience for these last few years — and I am sure other Members will agree — of driving behind fish lorries and other articulated lorries for 20 or 30 miles without being able to pass them. One of the first priorities is to build a proper network of roads in Donegal, and especially into west Donegal.
Secondly, the telecommunications system should be improved within the county. When I last had occasion to ask a parliamentary question towards the end of 1983, there were 47 manual exchanges in the county, a higher number, I believe, than in any other of the Twenty-six counties. I know that a major plan is in progress at the moment and hope that in the not too distant future, probably before the end of this year and certainly it is hoped before the end of 1985, the entire Donegal county will have automatic exchanges. Then, if one wants to contact someone outside the county it will be much easier to do that by telephone than to travel the roads in their present condition.
One of the paragraphs in the report mentions tourism. Another interesting map shows the tourist areas of the Border region and almost three-quarters of Donegal is considered to be a tourist area. These last ten or 15 years, however, especially since the troubles in Northern Ireland began, no part of this country has suffered more as regards tourism than Donegal, simply because we were always dependent on the people from Northern Ireland coming into Donegal, which was looked upon as their playground. Because of the economic difficulties in Northern Ireland and the difference in prices between Northern Ireland and the South, especially in these last few years, we are finding it increasingly difficult to attract the Northern tourist into our county, even though 60 per cent of those from Northern Ireland who do take holidays in this island of ours still go to Donegal. During the sixties and seventies many of the hotels developed and extra rooms were built and accommodation provided. The hoteliers are finding it very difficult at the moment to meet their repayments of the borrowings made at that time. One of the recommendations which I would make for this Border region is that the Government — and the Minister for Finance in particular — would consider treating it as a special area and give some concession to tourists who come into it. Many of the hoteliers whom I have occasion to meet are finding things very difficult and, indeed, some are on the point of going out of business altogether.
I think it was the Minister of State at the Department of Finance who announced recently that we are expecting 40,000 extra American tourists into the Twenty-six counties this year. I just wonder how many of these will get as far as Donegal. Our experience is that they come into Shannon, go south and north as far as Galway and to Dublin, but very few go as far north as our county. For that reason, some special concessionary schemes should apply to hoteliers and people in the tourist business in Donegal.
In order to create employment there must be more investment in infrastructure, whether it be roads, telecommunications or transport. We should focus on the natural resources in that area. We have the largest fishing port in the country, Killybegs. In this report it is stated that there is a damper on fish processing development there because they have not an adequate supply of water. I hope that some action will be taken to remedy that.
As I have a limited time available and know that other speakers wish to contribute, I finish by saying that it is good that this report has been published. There are shortcomings, one being that west Donegal is ignored. Nevertheless, there are some good recommendations in it. This may not be the master plan, but it is a blueprint to work on. I hope that if some of the recommendations are carried out it will do more to bring the people together and generate goodwill, understanding and trust among the people on both sides of the Border. I believe it would do more in that line than some of the empty rhetoric spoken over the last 60 years about the Border and how to solve it.
Mar fhocal scoir ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an phlean. Tá súil agam go léifidh an Rialtas go cúramach é agus go ndéanfaidh siad roinnt beartanna dá bharr.
The Government welcome the report of the Economic and Social Committee without reservations. The Minister for Finance explained here last night that we will of course have to study the implications of the report and also that the process of transferring the recommendations of the Economic and Social Committee into operational decisions on the ground can be a long and complex one. The Irish Government will support a positive outcome to that process with the Commission and at all levels of the Council of Ministers. I feel sure that all Irish members of the European Parliament North and South will support that process in the European Parliament. This is an issue on which all shades of Irish opinion throughout our island should unite and work. I believe that that is what will happen.
The Government had, prior to the publication of the report, discussions with the British authorities with a view to ensuring that both Governments would take a positive attitude to the report. I am glad to note that a spokesman for the British authorities said that the British Government regarded the report as helpful.
I would like to say in passing that the Government Information Service have pointed out to a respected national daily newspaper that, contrary to their report this morning, the Minister for Finance did not express opposition to the report here last night. On the contrary: the Minister for Finance welcomed the report as does every Minister in the Government and every Teachta Dála in the House.
Now, I want to turn to the remarks of Deputy Collins last night directed against me, my Department as well as the Minister for Justice and the Department of Justice on the issue of cross-Border roads. Those remarks were factually wrong and irresponsible. I had explained the situation in full to this House on 16 February. This Government not once but repeatedly pointed out its objections to road closures to the British Government. We did so once we got wind of a possibility of road closures and we did so as recently as the morning of the day of the closures, 15 February. When we first learned that actual closures were taking place — that was at 4.00 p.m. that day — we communicated our objections both in Dublin and in London. It is an unfortunate fact that, because of a failure to observe correct procedure, those three road closures were agreed to by a member of the Garda Síochána speaking to the RUC on 8 and 10 February. Deputy Collins last night accused me of hiding behind a member of the Garda Síochána. Let me state quite clearly that both the Department of Justice and the Garda Commissioner require, and have so stated in their letter of instruction of 1980, that any contact between the Garda and the RUC regarding the closure of cross-Border roads must be reported immediately to Garda Headquarters. This was not done in relation to these three roads — L4, L5 and L6 on the Monaghan-Fermanagh border.
Now, Deputy Wilson, who contributed to a debate on the lunchtime news programme on 17 February, implied that I was a liar. Deputy Collins repeated last night to the House the substance of Deputy Wilson's charges. Referring to my replies in the Dáil on 16 February, "It seems to me", said Deputy Wilson on RTE, "that the Minister for Foreign Affairs told a cock and bull story to us". I have to say that I bitterly resent and totally reject Deputy Wilson's remark.
Deputy Wilson relied on a quotation attributed in a report on 17 February by Mr. Peter Murtagh in The Irish Times to a Garda source in Monaghan, denying that the Garda Síochána had agreed to the road closures. Mr. Murtagh directly contradicted his story of 17 February the following morning in The Irish Times. Mr. Murtagh concluded his report on 18 February: "The version of events outlined by the security sources confirm Mr. Barry's statement and contradict what local gardaí said". Mr. Murtagh was a good enough authority for Deputy Wilson on Friday last but did not rate a mention by Deputy Collins on the record of this House last night. It seems to me extraordinary that he does not know what day of the week it is.
Both Deputy Wilson in his radio broadcast last Thursday and, more particularly, Deputy Collins, who had more facts available to him, here last night, behaved in a most irresponsible manner.
Deputy Wilson alleged on the same news programme that "we have reliable information that the Government was consulted on Tuesday, 14 February". Unlike himself, I am not going to imply that Deputy Wilson is a liar. I am prepared to believe that he was mistaken. There was no consultation with our Government by the British on 14 February: what happened was that at 4.00 p.m. on that day we were told that three road closures were taking place. We were not consulted. That is not the only mistake Deputy Wilson made. Apparently he thought the closures took place on Wednesday, 15, when, if he had read the Official Report and the papers, he would have known the closures took place on Tuesday, 14 February.
Let me try to sum up. Yes, three road closures took place. Yes, these three closures were unfortunately cleared by a member of the Garda Síochána who was wrong to do so. No, the Government were not consulted at Ministerial or official level about these closures. We have asked that all three roads be reopened. We have repeatedly and trenchantly made our strong opposition to road closures clear to the British. In response we have been told that not alone the Garda Síochána but the Minister for Foreign Affairs will be consulted in future on possible road closures.
It is a pity that the Opposition have chosen an issue, this report of the Economic and Social Committee, on which all sides not alone in this House but on this island are united, to play party politics. Last night the Minister for Finance outlined some of the actions already taken in the Border region under the aegis of the Community. Much has already happened. Our Government will be the first in the Council of Ministers to press for a speedy and successful outcome to the process initiated in this instance. In other words, we will work to ensure that much more is done. It is quite clear that a united rather than a divided message from Dáil Éireann will help to ensure this desirable progress.
Cross-Border co-operation to the maximum extent possible is an important element in the policy of successive Irish Governments on the Northern Ireland problem. Although important, it is only one aspect of our policy. A further important element is our encouragement of a strong role for the European Community in helping to solve the Northern Ireland issue. It so happens that issues that arise from Community membership often provide a focus for consensus in the otherwise deeply divided society in Northern Ireland. We have often seen the three MEPs from Northern Ireland working together on the same side in Strasbourg and they have often had the support of all of the members of the European Parliament from this State. This process of working together must be encouraged at every opportunity. This report provides a perfect opportunity for developing a sense on the part of our politicians and our people that we can create prosperity by working together, whatever our political differences. "Ar scáth a chéile 'sea mhaireann na daoine", as our ancestors so wisely held: we might all profitably follow that excellent precept.
I think it quite opportune that this report has emerged at the same time as the Draft Resolution proposed by Mr. Niels Haagerup. One of the clauses of his resolution coincides with an important element of the report before the House. Mr. Haagerup proposes that the Parliament should:
ask the Commission and the Council of Ministers of the European Community to undertake a major review of all its current and planned projects in Northern Ireland and in the Border areas of the Republic, to present an integrated plan for a major contribution to the development of Northern Ireland, in conformity with the overall objectives of the European Community and to report to the European Parliament on the progress achieved as part of this plan.
Again I am confident that all sides in Ireland, North and South, will be glad to support this particular proposal.
I would like to make it clear that, quite apart from the interest of the European Community in the region, and quite apart from our commitment to cross-Border co-operation with or without Community involvement, this Government are actively committed to the development of the area contiguous to the Border in this State. Important examples are:
In telecommunications, automatic subscriber trunk dialling has been introduced and gradually extended throughout the Border area. It is expected that by the end of the year virtually the entire telephone network will have been converted to automatic working.
In transport, the road infrastructure has been improved and developed. The Government are committed to further improvements and upgrading. My colleague, the Minister for Finance, mentioned one such instance in his speech: the Newry-Dundalk road. The Lough Swilly Bus Company have continued to receive a substantial subsidy from Government so as to ensure that Inishowen and North Donegal have a regular bus service.
In energy, the Government have concluded an agreement with the British authorities for the supply of Kinsale gas to Northern Ireland. The extension of gas supplies from that pipeline is under consideration.
In tourism and amenities, work has commenced on a feasibility study of restoring the Ballinamore-Ballyconnell Canal. Tourist facilities, for example at Glenveagh National Park, have been developed. The Special Border Areas Programme has been of assistance in many fields of tourist activity.
In drainage, schemes for the Blackwater and the Finn-Lackey systems are under way.
This report of the Economic and Social Committee is only the latest in a series of reports on development in the Border area by different Community institutions. Both Governments are actively engaged in implementing the Derry-Donegal Communications Study of 1977 and the Erne Catchment Area Study of 1979. There are of course other Community-wide regional aid programmes of special application to Border areas which we are involved in, notably the European Community's Cross-Border Drainage Programme and the European Community's Special Border Areas Programme which concentrates on tourism development and the development of small businesses. There are other cross-Border programmes which have been undertaken by the two administrations themselves, notably the East Border Region Tourism Study and, of course, the Kinsale-Belfast gas pipeline. What is most useful about the latest report is that it draws together the work that has already been done and puts it in a new overall context. As such it will serve as an indispensable reference work for everyone concerned with this area of development, Ministers, Teachtaí Dála, Government Departments, local authority representatives and local authority officials. The report records appreciation of the input made by local politicians, including Members of this House on both sides of the Border and I commend all those politicians for their important contribution to the future of their region.
The Economic and Social Committee recommend an ambitious expansion of existing activity in several cases and also a number of new programmes. They also recommend the creation of special budgetary provisions for carrying some of their recommendations into practice.
Let me make the Government's position very clear. We welcome these recommendations and will do everything we can within the limits of our financial capacity to ensure that the greatest possible effect is given to the report. We will work as a Government in Brussels to ensure that the report is implemented in the best and most realistic way possible. We will support in any way we can the efforts of all members of the European Parliament from this island to win the support of their colleagues in the European Parliament for the implementation of the report. That is our commitment.
Now there is nothing more irresponsible, and there are few actions more cruel, than for politicians to raise the expectations of the people beyond what is realistically possible. In inviting all sides of this House and indeed all shades of opinion in Northern Ireland as well as the British Government to work with us for the implementation of this report to the fullest extent possible and in the shortest possible time span, could I ask all my colleagues in the House, and particularly those from the Border counties, to explain to their constituents the procedures which are involved in Community decision-making. These procedures are elaborate, lengthy and often frustrating. They are not, however, insurmountable. To my mind, the approach taken by the Economic and Social Committee in this case is the right one. It is an approach that helps consensus, indeed it commands consensus. The New Ireland Forum is engaged at a more fundamental level in the far more difficult task of creating ground for consensus in which peace and stability can take hold and flourish. I believe that all parties involved in the Forum are endeavouring sincerely and impressively to achieve success in this great work. I think they should be encouraged by this report and other initiatives of the European Community, a Community of which all Irish people of all Irish traditions are full European citizens, a Community committed in the words of its founding fathers:
to substitute for age-old rivalries the merging of their essential interests; to create, by establishing an economic community, the basis for a broader and deeper community among peoples long divided by bloody conflicts; and to lay the foundations for institutions which will give direction to a destiny henceforward shared.
I listened very carefully to what the Minister had to say. He was very conciliatory towards the motion put down by Fianna Fáil. He said:
It is quite clear that a united rather than a divided message from Dáil Éireann will help to ensure this desirable programme.
Later on he said:
We will support in any way we can the efforts of all members of the European Parliament from this island to win the support of their colleagues in the European Parliament for the implementation of the report. That is our commitment.
I cannot understand, having listened to the Minister's speech, why the Government have an amendment down to our motion because our motion calls on the Government to take all the necessary steps to ensure the early and successful implementation of the report. This is what the Minister has just supported. The Government's amendment, which is a very diluted concept, just urges the Government to have the recommendations of the report fully considered. There is a very important distinction there. I was very glad to hear the Minister speak because I believe he has got the commitment to see this report is implemented and that he will use his good offices in Europe to ensure that this will take place.
The Minister referred to what Deputy G. Collins said last night. While I was not in the House last night I understand that Deputy Collins quoted from an article in The Irish Press of Thursday, 16 February entitled “British Army may block more roads near the Border”. It referred to a statement from the Northern Ireland Office. Deputy Collins is reported as saying:
The statement added that there has been discussions "in the normal way with Irish authorities at police and political levels".
Obviously Deputy Collins was referring to a report in The Irish Press of 16 February which he had read and from which he had quoted.
Is Deputy Collins prepared to take Northern Ireland's word rather than my word?
That is what he quoted from here last night.
I had already corrected that on Thursday of last week. If the Deputy chooses to ignore my correction——
The report deals with the expenditure of £125 million and the people who come over here from the Economic and Social Committee of the EEC recognise that the Border region is depressed economically. It is a peripheral region with no hinterland to the towns because of the Border. One looks at the example of the town of Clones of which three-quarters is surrounded by Fermanagh which is in the Six Counties. Practically the whole hinterland of Clones is cut off and so Clones is one of the most economically depressed towns in Europe. The blocking of the roads there last week simply added further to the problems of that region. Enough has been said about the blocking of the roads, but it could do absolutely nothing to prevent violence of any sort in County Fermanagh. All it did was to inconvenience the farmers who live in that area. Some of them would have to travel 14 miles as a result of these roads being blocked. It increased political tension on both sides of the Border, perhaps leading to trouble. It was a stupid decision on the part of the British Government and one hopes that we will not see any more of it.
The EEC have shown a great interest in border regions and a particular interest in the Border region in Ireland. We are the only country where the Border receives money from the non-quota section of the Regional Development Fund. In their report they list certain priorities. They list communications, for example, roads. It is unfortunate that on the national primary road from Dublin to Enniskillen the bridge which was blown up was not replaced as a result of the refusal of the Northern Ireland Office and the British Government to replace it, again causing economic depression in the town of Belturbet and great inconvenience to the people who use that road. There is no reason, other than intransigence, why that bridge should not have been replaced. The bridge on the national primary road No. 2 from Dublin to Derry, while functioning satisfactorily, is a temporary bridge, and we might look to having a permanent bridge erected there between Aughnacloy and Emyvale. We have heard a long saga about the Dundalk-Newry road. Apparently the local authorities on this and the other side of the Border each decided to go their own way and each decided that they would get the quickest route to the Border for themselves. The Dundalk road to the Border was planned to go along the east coast and the Newry road to the Border was going inland and the points at which they should meet were half a mile apart. Any report or any influence from anywhere that would ensure that such planning does not go on would be very welcome. I hope to see rapid development now on having that road, which is part of the Dublin-Belfast road, constructed at an early date.
One problem here is that all the national primary roads go into and out of Dublin. The only major primary road going east-west is the Dublin-Galway road. There is need for a major national primary road from Sligo to Dundalk and perhaps to Greenore to the port there which has 30 ft. of water at low tide and would be ideal for development for cross-Channel shipping services. This should be considered in the context of EEC support.
The report refers to the crippling taxation policy, and while it does not condemn any Government we would condemn the present Government. The report mentions the tax on fuel, and the 35p a gallon imposed in the first month the Government were in office was responsible for a tremendous amount of cross-Border trade with people leaving this State and crossing the Border, which is estimated to have cost the Exchequer here £150 million. The EEC have also shown their commitment to this country in the £100 million given for work in Belfast.
On telecommunications, the telephone service is improving. Direct dialling to the Six Counties is not up to the standard one would expect and it is necessary on practically all occasions to go through the exchange. The question of a joint telephone directory for the people living in this Border region which would embrace the telephone numbers on both sides of the Border would be worth considering. Such a directory would be very useful.
A great deal of good work on tourism has been done jointly by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Bord Fáilte and it is encouraging to see in the report much support for the development of co-operation between the two tourist boards and the development of tourism. In my county EEC funds were responsible for the purchase of Lake Muckno with 900 acres of water and 100 acres of land to be developed as a major amenity area. It is encouraging to see that the report recommended that a further £1 million be spent on developing that amenity for water sports and other tourist-orientated facilities. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Bord Fáilte have produced a very attractive brochure selling tourism jointly on both sides of the Border. The Minister here referred tonight to a report, which was aided by the EEC, on tourism in what is known as the east Border region which comprises County Monaghan and County Louth on this side of the Border and Newry and Mourne District Council and County Down on the northern side of the Border. They make a very compact unit and a cross-Border development committee made up of the members of the four local authorities and their executives has been set up. An EEC-aided tourist study was carried out and an excellent report was produced. I proposed at a meeting of that committee and to the Minister, and to the Northern Ireland Minister, Mr. Adam Butler, at a meeting in Downpatrick that the next step as a follow-on to that report is to set up an administrative structure to administer these Border regions. Irrespective of what way one looks at this it would be of great advantage to all local authorities, to North-South co-operation and to those who would use it as a tourist area. All facilities needed by those going on holiday will be available — the sea coast of Counties Down and Louth, the mountains in Armagh and in the Newry and Mourne areas and the lakelands of Monaghan.
I welcome the commitment in the report to drainage works on various rivers. There is an anxiety about certain rivers on which it was proposed to carry out drainage works, but because of lack of finance it has not been possible to proceed with them. I am referring to the Finn-Lackey and the Blackwater. The amount of money allocated to the latter originally would be insufficient to carry out that work. Work is due to commence on the portion of that river in the Six Counties and, hopefully, all the money will not be spent on the Six County side with the result that there will not be any money left to continue the work on our side.
Industry is very important in that area. If one looks at the statistics one will see that on the northern side Newry has an unemployment rate of 26 per cent; Strabane, 28 per cent; and Derry, 24 per cent; while on this side of the Border our national average is 8.9 per cent, but the figure in the Border region is 12.7 per cent. We would welcome the support recommended for industry such as joint promotions between the IDA and the IDB, the development of the pig and poultry industry on this side of the Border and the development of the craft industries. It is necessary that there should be more co-operation between local authorities, VECs, the IDA and county development teams to ensure we get the maximum benefit from any work to be carried out to promote employment in the area.
The report calls for development work to improve the appearance of rural towns. The report should have included the development of recreation facilities in Border towns. There is no reason why recreation facilities should not be provided out of the moneys to be made available for tourist orientated facilities. At a time of high unemployment it is important that people should use their leisure time correctly. That is important also in the promotion of good health and prevention of illness. In terms of tourism it is also important that such amenities are made available.
The Government should adopt the report and, for their part, implement its terms. If they are getting finance from the EEC and are obliged only to put up a half or one-third of the cost it is bad economics not to avail of it. Cross-Border development committees do very useful work. However, they do not have any teeth and the Minister should seek to give them a more positive role to play because there is a danger that they will become defunct. The Minister should arrange that copies of the report are sent to those committees for distribution among members so that its proposals can be discussed at meetings.
It is obvious that the only way the terms of the report can be implemented is through the co-operation of the UK and the Republic of Ireland Governments. I have no doubt that our Government will play their part but I doubt if the UK Government will be prepared to play their role. There are 300 miles of Border and the region is peripheral in both parts of the country. As long as it exists there will always be problems. The ideal must be a united Ireland and then the area we are dealing with will have the same opportunity as other parts of the country for proper social and economic development.
Mr. Coughlan
All Members from Border counties, particularly those who reside in the region, must welcome the report which was compiled by the Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities. According to the report we are one of the least economically and socially developed areas in Europe with the added disadvantage of being cut in half by a frontier or border that curtails normal economic development. That frontier or border is there and while it is the earnest hope and aspiration of most people that the country should be one united Ireland I see the implementation of the report as being a positive step towards unification. To implement these proposals there has to be close co-operation with the authorities North and South and that, in turn, must lead to a greater understanding and a lessening of the distrust and fear we seem to have of each other.
Any move of this nature must be beneficial to both communities. To comment on all aspects of the report would take a considerable amount of time and in the time allocated for the debate that would be impossible. Therefore, it is my intention to comment only on a few aspects of it. The first matter I wish to raise is a rather contentious one, the issue of Border roads and the closure and otherwise of them. We are all aware that many Border roads have been closed in recent years for specific reasons. The only aspect I am interested in is that in closing those roads many people in adjoining areas have had their way of life disrupted. They have found it extremely difficult to carry on their normal everyday activities. I should like to cite one case to illustrate my point. A road leading into the town of Pettigo, a Border town, was cratered some years ago by the British Army for reasons best known to the authorities but there was not any consideration for a business person living in that area who had for many years run a reasonably good business with the communities north and south of the Border. Due to the cratering of the road that business terminated and the unfortunate person had to close down. He is a social welfare recipient now.
There are many other instances that could be cited to illustrate the problems these closures have caused. I should like to ask the Government to give a guarantee to reinvestigate the closure of these roads and to press to have as many of them as possible reopened. The Government should also press to have requests for compensation since the closure of the roads dealt with. If we are to have co-operation and a better relationship with Northern Ireland we will have to take some positive steps.
Another matter I should like to mention is the question of roads and infrastructure in Donegal. We are all aware that a good road system is vital to industry, trade and tourism. While there are proposals in the report under discussion to improve many roads in Donegal, there are some glaring omissions. Many other roads warrant consideration. Last night the Minister for Finance mentioned that the Ballyshannon-Donegal road has been completed and will be officially opened in March. This has meant a very pleasant and easy journey for motorists travelling to Donegal from Sligo and other western counties but many people who travel to Donegal from Dublin, the Midlands and Northern Ireland travel through Ennis-killen to Pettigo. That road must be one of the worst in Ireland and needs urgent attention. However, it is not mentioned in this report. It must be obvious that the group who carried out this survey missed this much used road.
I want to mention other roads, especially that leading to Gweedore, one of the few Gaeltacht areas in the country. There are many valid reasons why this road should be considered. We have an industrial estate on that road. We have an automatic telephone system but the road system does not match it and this should be given consideration. Burtonport is a fishing area and if you are unfortunate enough to get behind one of the big Hinos leaving Burtonport you are behind it until you almost reach Donegal town. The roads to those areas leave a lot to be desired. Driving heavy vehicles on these roads is nothing short of nightmarish. Work on the road to Killybegs has started but the local authorities are financially constrained and progress on the completion of this road is very slow. In the interests of the fishing industry it is desirable that this project be completed as soon as possible. I know from surveys carried out that this is reputed to be one of the busiest roads in County Donegal.
Everyone knows tourism in Donegal has suffered over the past few years, and there are many reasons for that. One of them could be the difference in prices between those charged in Donegal and those charged in the neighbouring Northern Ireland counties. There are other contributing factors but I do not intend to go into them. Despite efforts by Bord Fáilte and others interested to promote tourism in the Border areas, there is much to be done, as this report shows.
On page 30, the report suggests schemes, but many of them must be carried out in conjunction with the Department of the Environment because a number of the larger towns in Donegal — Donegal town, Bundoran, Ballyshannon, Killybegs and Ardagh — need massive injections of capital to provide adequate water supplies and proper sewerage systems. We cannot promote tourism on the one hand and have inadequate facilities on the other. Development in Killybegs is being hindered because of an inadequate water supply. If these facilities are not provided, a town cannot expand. There is little point promoting the tourist industry if the Department of the Environment do not give a commitment that the necessary services will be provided as soon as possible.
Many projects listed in the report, if implemented, will generate employment and hopefully entice more tourists into the area. However, I was disappointed that Letterkenny Airport was not approved and that no money was available for this project. This should be given due consideration.
The drainage of the Rivers Finn, Foyle and Mourne would be welcomed by the farming community in County Donegal, especially the Finn Valley, which has been a bone of contention for a number of years. There has been a loss of crops in this area due to flooding but nothing has been done about it. I welcome this project and hope it will be carried out in the near future.
Cross-Border co-operation in relation to processing and marketing of timber is also welcomed. We have enough timber to warrant an in-depth study of small industries, especially those related to timber. There should be a greater awareness of the importance of afforestation. There are grants available for private planting and if people were aware of this more might be done. Mention was made of access road to forests. Now that we have timber for sale it appears that it was impossible to get the timber out in some areas. This is a terrible situation and something should be done about it as soon as possible.
I earnestly request the Government to implement as many of the proposals in the report as possible and show the people in the Border regions that this Government have the interests of this region at heart. We need implementation of this report, not consideration.
By agreement, Deputy McCartin will conclude at 8.15 p.m.
This is a very short time to deal with what I regard as a very important subject. I was in Strasbourg when somebody from home rang me and asked how this money had been agreed for spending in the Border regions. Many people were taken by surprise by this announcement and thought the decision had already been made. I looked at the situation and decided that this was a suggestion from the periphery of the decision-making establishment for the Social and Economic Committee of the European Community. Nevertheless, we welcome their attention. But there is a long way through the complicated decision-making process from where we are now to get final agreement with the Council of Ministers for a directive to spend this money.
We should not see this as a comprehensive proposal for the development of the Border regions. Rather this is a proposal for the development of a number of projects which could not be said to form any sort of an economic plan. I have put down a resolution in the European Parliament, that the Parliament now proceed to adopt this report and prepare a report of their own suggesting that the Commission prepare a directive for the Council of Ministers. Therefore we have already taken it another step.
Already we spend quite an amount of money in the Border regions. I might remind the House that we had a report on the development of the Erne catchment area. Yet, when funds were provided from the non-quota section of the Regional Fund for cross-Border areas we proceeded to find new ways of spending those funds without any reference to the Erne catchment area. We decided to disperse the moneys from that cross-Border development fund on a large number of projects including some Deputy O'Hanlon mentioned. I do not think that was sensible.
Here there are proposals for a number of projects in an area which is obviously extremely depressed, depressed by the existence of the Border and for geographical reasons ever before that Border was created. Therefore this is an area warranting attention. The Border has aggravated the economic problems that would have existed anyway in that region. The spending of this money on different types of schemes on either side of the Border will improve the economic situation but will not tackle its root causes. If we are to tackle the root causes we must prepare a fully integrated plan which will be administered or at least supervised by a single organisation with some competence to overlook the spending of money in both areas. If one looks at the spending on farm structures through the common agricultural policy, if one looks at the way the money is spent on either side of the Border, one would not realise one was talking about the same European directive.
Similarly our taxation policies have created trade difficulties across the Border, have turned the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners into a policing organisation who must watch vigilantly day and night along that whole Border region, making it more difficult for people to travel up and down, when we should be seeking to open up the channels. We must endeavour to harmonise economic conditions on both sides of the Border, and legislation, so that we will not have two taxation regimes so widely differing that they require the building of a Border which at times gives one the impression of a Berlin Wall. I am most concerned about the breaking of these communications routes, the Border roads in certain areas. In County Leitrim we had two important contact routes only, one at Kiltyclogher and one at Rossinver, which have been closed for years. I do not believe there were sufficient security grounds for doing so. Rather I believe it to be political victimisation of an area. I know the Minister took up this matter some years ago. I would request him to take note that nothing has happened in this area, that the Counties of Leitrim and Fermanagh are permanently divided, that parishes, villages and communities are divided. Protestant people are prevented from going to the church in the Republic they always attended and Catholics from going to their place of worship in Northern Ireland they traditionally attended. No amount of spending of moneys or recommendations from the Community will resolve that problem until there is the application of uniform economic policies on both sides of the Border.
I shall seek to raise some of these points at European level as we proceed to make a report on this, which I hope we will, and we shall maintain contact with our Minister requesting his assistance from time to time.
I would have thought that the Government would have issued a memorandum with this report and would have initiated a debate on it in Government time. I regret that we, as an Opposition, had to utilise Private Members' Time to generate a debate on what I consider to be an important issue, one that is most important in relation to Border areas.
Did the Opposition ask for a debate in Government time?
Yes, I asked the Taoiseach for Government time to discuss this matter.
Was there discussion between the Whips?
He said he would leave it to the Whips.
——and what happened?
That is as much as I know.
What happened was that the Opposition members put down their motion as a matter of urgency without giving the Government an opportunity to respond. The Deputy should be factual. They put down their motion on a Thursday having looked for the debate on Wednesday. The Deputy should not try to mislead the House like that.
Deputy Conaghan to continue.
We contend that, had the Government been taking the issue really seriously, we would not have had to use our time, as an Opposition, to initiate the debate.
Along with the other Deputies representing Border constituencies who are directly involved I welcome this report although I have certain reservations in relation to it. It is an informative report, a document compiled from the other reports and studies that have been undertaken in Border regions over the past ten years. I would be concerned not so much with what is contained in the report but what has been omitted from it. In that respect I might make some observations.
On every aspect of the committee's investigation the most crucial problem they encountered was unemployment in that region. This is the key issue in relation to the whole of the Border region and one to which we, as politicians, and the Government must face up. In relation to the Border region I contend — and I put it on record here along with other Deputies representing Border constituencies — that there should be undertaken an in-depth economic study of the entire Border region. Were such a study undertaken inevitably its outcome would indicate that we have economic difficulties in that area not related to any other part of the country, particularly in the county and constituency I represent, Donegal, which is entirely cut away from the rest of the Republic by an unnatural border. Unfortunately it is because of that border we have these chronic difficulties.
I have consistently contended, in relation to the Derry/Donegal/Strabane region — that triangle has been mentioned here, encompassing an area, as it does, stretching right to Malin Head and the Inishowen Penisula — that an industrial estate should be sited in that region to correct the chronic unemployment situation prevailing there. We know to our cost the economic difficulties the Northern Ireland problems have created for our economy, troubles brought about by the lack of employment, particularly in areas west of the Bann because the Nationalist population had been abandoned by a Stormont administration which did not care whether or not they existed or how they developed; they had no real interest. We in the Donegal region suffered from the same type of problem through lack of special consideration for our region cut away from the rest of the Republic by that unnatural border.
If one examines the unemployment situation in the Strabane/Derry and Donegal regions one finds it has been the highest in the country, not for the past five years but for the past 25. While there is today an outcry from all parts of the country in regard to unemployment we have had to struggle with that difficulty over the past 25 years. The Government must give encouragement and the agencies responsible for the development of industry must take a special interest in the area. Employment can be generated from the natural resources of the region and I refer specifically to farming and the fishing industry which are underdeveloped. These valuable resources are exported in a raw state with no further manufacturing processes which would create employment. The IDA and agencies responsible for industrial development should undertake some programme to deal with the problem. The fishing industry has not been mentioned in the report. I refer specifically to the Greencastle harbour where development work has been planned for the past five or six years but to date work has not been carried out on the harbour. I urge the Minister to ensure that the Government provide the necessary finances to develop that fishing port. If it were developed it would be the second largest fishing port in the country and it would provide onshore jobs for the community on the Inishowen Peninsula which has the highest rate of unemployment in the country.
Agriculture needs special attention. In 1982 there were 4,564 applicants under the Farm Modernisation Scheme. This represented 1.7 per cent of commercial farmers and 8.8 per cent of development farmers. The other category who were farmers under 55 years of age represented 71 per cent. The Department of Agriculture have issued a document to the ACOT offices which contains the following:
With reference to your application for grant aid, the position is that aid is no longer available to farmers in your category under the Farm Modernisation Scheme, Your application is, accordingly, returned herewith. You may wish to contact ACOT to discuss your position.
For my region this means that 71.1 per cent of the applications will not qualify for any aid under the Farm Modernisation Scheme. This is the implementation of the Mansholt Plan which was designed to eliminate small farmers. Due to the land structure in Donegal the farming community consists basically of small land-holders. If we are going to abandon them we must provide employment for them elsewhere, but I do not see much hope of this. In their policies with regard to assessment of small land-holders the Government are practically annihilating them.
We know that at the moment there is a scheme in Brussels regarding private afforestation. In 1980 a plan was introduced, allowing £18 million to be provided to this country over ten years. In effect, there should have been expenditure of £1.8 million per year for forestry development for the private sector. However, the Government took up only £90,000 over three years when they should have taken up £5.32 million. In 1958 the Department set a target of 10,000 acres per year for forestry development but that has been reduced to 6,000 acres for the the entire country. We are anxious to make a submission to Brussels for aid for the Border region, but the aid available through the various agencies is not being taken up by the Government. This will weaken our case with regard to financing this report.
Many questions must be asked with regard to the report, because there does not seem to be any plan about how it will be financed. I agree with what the Minister for Finance said last night, that the target is £125 million but the overall cost could be nearer £200 million.
He did not make any promises.
With regard to the infrastructure we require in the Donegal region and which has been referred to by my colleagues tonight, I make a special appeal to the Minister to ensure that the development of the Letterkenny airport goes ahead. It appears from this report that it is to be downgraded in favour of Eglington. If we are to develop the Donegal region we must have the necessary communications particularly in relation to the airport. The railway was taken from us, we have a poor road structure and we have no transport system between Donegal and Dublin. Because of our remoteness these factors are disadvantages and they add to the economic problems of the business community.
In relation to the industrial zone there must be some commitment by the Government. In this connection I wish to quote from a report in the Sunday Independent dated 15 May 1983. It states:
A unique experiment in job creation has been given the go-ahead by the Coalition Government. But final approval for the trans-Border scheme has yet to be given by the British Government. Unique in world industrial terms, the scheme straddles the Border between Donegal and Derry with a free port at its core. If it is approved by the British — and indications are they will sanction it — it will mean that the IDA and its equivalent in the North, the IDB, will be jointly promoting the region.
The industrial zone plan is based on the Shannon Airport Industrial Free Zone complex ..... The plan was originally prepared three years ago by officials of the Shannon Free Airport Development Company, under the direction fo the then Minister for Industry and Commerce, Des O'Malley.
The plans are with the Department in relation to that development and I ask the Government to ensure that they will be processed. Our immediate objective must be to improve communications and the infrastructure in the region so that it will be put on an equal footing with other areas and so that it will have a chance of competing and surviving. We must devote our will to narrowing significantly the disparity between these Border regions and the rest of the community. There must be firm commitment from the Government to follow this report through. They must provide the money to ensure the full economic development of the region.
Finally, I suggest that the Government must approach local authorities in Border areas and ask them to provide lists of high priority projects so that there can be some movement to get finances into areas that heretofore have been neglected.
I am putting the question. There is a fairly strong consensus of opinion in the House that when a question is being put, Deputies within the Chamber should remain seated and silent and that there should be general silence in the House.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
In reply to a request, I propose to enforce that arrangement in future.
Hear, hear.
The Fianna Fáil Party are always well-behaved.
Amendment put.
The Dáil divided: Tá, 77; Níl, 66.
Tá
- Allen, Bernard.
- Barnes, Monica.
- Barrett, Seán.
- Barry, Peter.
- Boland, John.
- Bruton, John.
- Bruton, Richard.
- Burke, Liam.
- Carey, Donal.
- Cluskey, Frank.
- Collins, Edward.
- Conlon, John F.
- Connaughton, Paul.
- Coogan, Fintan.
- Cooney, Patrick Mark.
- Cosgrave, Liam T.
- Cosgrave, Michael Joe.
- Coveney, Hugh.
- Creed, Donal.
- Crowley, Frank.
- D'Arcy, Michael.
- Deasy, Martin Austin.
- Desmond, Barry.
- Desmond, Eileen.
- Donnellan, John.
- Dowling, Dick.
- Doyle, Avril.
- Doyle, Joe.
- Dukes, Alan.
- Enright, Thomas W.
- Farrelly, John V.
- Fennell, Nuala.
- FitzGerald, Garret.
- Flaherty, Mary.
- Glenn, Alice.
- Griffin, Brendan.
- Harte, Patrick D.
- Hegarty, Paddy.
- Hussey, Gemma.
- Begley, Michael.
- Bermingham, Joe.
- Birmingham, George Martin.
- Boland, John.
- Kavanagh, Liam.
- Kelly, John.
- Kenny, Enda.
- L'Estrange, Gerry.
- McCartin, Joe.
- McGahon, Brendan.
- McGinley, Dinny.
- McLoughlin, Frank.
- Manning, Maurice.
- Mitchell, Gay.
- Molony, David.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Naughten, Liam.
- Nealon, Ted.
- Noonan, Michael.
- (Limerick East)
- O'Brien, Fergus.
- O'Brien, Willie.
- O'Keeffe, Jim.
- O'Leary, Michael.
- O'Sullivan, Toddy.
- O'Toole, Paddy.
- Owen, Nora.
- Pattison, Séamus.
- Prendergast, Frank.
- Quinn, Ruairí.
- Ryan, John.
- Shatter, Alan.
- Sheehan, Patrick Joseph.
- Skelly, Liam.
- Taylor, Mervyn.
- Taylor-Quinn, Madeline.
- Timmins, Godfrey.
- Treacy, Seán.
- Yates, Ivan.
Níl
- Ahern, Bertie.
- Ahern, Michael.
- Andrews, David.
- Aylward, Liam.
- Barrett, Michael.
- Barrett, Sylvester.
- Brady, Gerard.
- Brady, Vincent.
- Brennan, Mattie.
- Brennan, Paudge.
- Brennan, Séamus.
- Briscoe, Ben.
- Browne, John.
- Burke, Raphael P.
- Byrne, Hugh.
- Byrne, Seán.
- Calleary, Seán.
- Collins, Gerard.
- Conaghan, Hugh.
- Coughlan, Cathal Seán.
- Daly, Brendan.
- Fahey, Francis.
- Fahey, Jackie.
- Faulkner, Pádraig.
- Fitzgerald, Gene.
- Fitzgerald, Liam Joseph.
- Fitzsimons, Jim.
- O'Kennedy, Michael.
- O'Leary, John.
- Ormonde, Donal.
- O'Rourke, Mary.
- Power, Paddy.
- Reynolds, Albert.
- Treacy, Noel.
- Flynn, Pádraig.
- Foley, Denis.
- Gallagher, Denis.
- Gallagher, Pat Cope.
- Harney, Mary.
- Haughey, Charles J.
- Hilliard, Colm.
- Kirk, Séamus.
- Kitt, Michael.
- Lemass, Eileen.
- Lenihan, Brian.
- Leonard, Jimmy.
- Leonard, Tom.
- Leyden, Terry.
- Lyons, Denis.
- McCarthy, Seán.
- McEllistrim, Tom.
- MacSharry, Ray.
- Molloy, Robert.
- Morley, P.J.
- Moynihan, Donal.
- Nolan, M.J.
- Noonan, Michael J.
- (Limerick West)
- O'Dea, William.
- O'Hanlon, Rory.
- O'Keeffe, Edmond.
- Tunney, Jim.
- Wallace, Dan.
- Walsh, Joe.
- Wilson, John P.
- Woods, Michael.
- Wyse, Pearse.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Barrett(Dún Laoghaire), and Taylor; Níl, Deputies B. Ahern and Briscoe.
Amendment declared carried.
Motion, as amended, agreed to.