asked the Minister for the Marine if there have been any discussions with the British Government regarding the cost of maintaining Irish lights; and if he will make a statement outlining the most recent position.
Written Answers. - Irish Lights.
103.
Under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, responsibility for the provision and maintenance of lights services (comprising lighthouses, light vessels, beacons etc.) around the coasts of Ireland and Britain is vested in three bodies known as General Lighthouse Authorities, namely, the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL) who serve the coasts around Ireland, Trinity House which has responsibility for England and Wales and the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses, who are responsible for Scotland and the Isle of Man. While the lights in the three areas are separately held and managed by the three lighthouse authorities, the whole system of lights around the coasts of Britain and Ireland is administered as a single financial unit.
Expenditure is met from the general lighthouse fund which derives its income from the collection of light dues in ports in Britain and Ireland. There is a substantial gap between revenue from light dues in Ireland and expenditure by the Commissioners of Irish Lights. This arises because the elaborate system of lights demanded by the geographical situation of Ireland has not been matched by a corresponding flow of shipping traffic into Irish ports. The cost of operations of the CIL in the State in the year ended 31 March 1986 exceeded revenue by about £8 million.
Following negotiations between the Irish and British authorities, agreement was reached in 1985 that in future a greater share of the costs incurred by the CIL in the State will be met from sources in the State. Under the agreement, the lights dues collected at Irish ports will be supplemented as necessary by an Exchequer contribution so that total revenue from sources in the State will account for 50 per cent of CIL's expenditure in the State. The arrangement will be phased in over a five-year period commencing at a level of 30 per cent in 1987 and increasing to reach the 50 per cent level by 1991. The 1987 Exchequer contribution (paid in January 1987) to the general lighthouse fund was £1.287 million. It is estimated that the Exchequer contribution for 1988 will be of the order of £1.8 million.
The agreement marked the culmination of the first stage of discussions which began in 1982. Discussions are continuing on the statutory and administrative relationships between the Irish and British authorities and the Commissioners of Irish Lights, including a joint review of the areas in which existing legislation may require to be amended.