asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he will now include the provision of a slipway in the development scheme at Portevlin Pier, County Donegal, to accommodate small boats.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Pier.
10.
I am advised that for technical reasons it would not be feasible to include a slipway for small boats in the development scheme at present in progress at Portevlin pier.
Will the Minister agree that it may not be feasible because there is no money available? Deputy Conaghan gave me some details on the matter. He is from the area and he has consulted some marine engineers who have told him it is feasible. On his behalf I ask the Minister to request his officials to have another look at the matter.
I said that for technical reasons it would not be feasible, not for financial reasons. The scheme undertaken in 1981 is about to be concluded at a cost of £440,000. The technicalities involved would not allow for what is proposed by the Deputy because of the nature of the land. It could also undo some of the good done by the creation of this new pier at a cost of nearly £500,000. The technical advice I have got is that it would cut down on the berthage space.
Will the Minister consider the provision of some kind of slipway which is necessary at every small port? Will he ask his officials to come back with a report on another type of slipway that would fit in with the development work now proceeding? Because the Office of Public Works are on the site at the moment the cost of providing the slipway would be much less now than it will be when it is provided in the years to come.
I agree that the cost would be much less now than if it were to be provided in two or four years time when these people will have left the site. This project was undertaken after long consultation with the fishermen involved and no request for a slipway surfaced until the matter was raised in this House last November. During consultations regarding this project the fishermen never asked that this facility be provided.
Is the Minister saying that if they ask for a slipway it might be considered? Will he not accept that Deputy Conaghan is representing the fishermen and, consequently, that a request from him would be a request from the fishermen?
I am not for a moment suggesting they would not be happy with the provision of a slipway. I have said that when consultations were going on regarding the major scheme this matter was not mentioned. I took Deputy Conaghan's request seriously and had it investigated. The technical advice is it would not be feasible, that it would do harm to the present structure and would cut down on the berthage area available.
Questions Nos. 11 and 12 postponed.