asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the total amount of Government subsidy towards maintaining CIE ferry services to the Aran Islands in County Galway in each year since 1980.
Written Answers - Aran Islands Ferry Services.
82.
As published in the relevant annual audited accounts of CIE, subvention allocated to the ferry service to the Aran Islands has been as follows: 1980, £200,000; 1981, £200,000; 1982, £200,000; 1983, £200,000; 1984, £500,000; 1985, £800,000; 1986, £559,000.
The allocation of £800,000 for 1985 included shortfalls in allocations in earlier years.
83.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if interim arrangements will be entered into for the transport of goods and passengers to each of the Aran Islands, County Galway pending decision on a proposed roll-on, roll-off ferry service; and if so, if he will give details thereof.
The nature of the arrangements for providing transport services to the Aran Islands in the interim period fall to be determined by Córas Iompair Éireann within available resources. I am informed by CIE that the board is seeking to introduce shortly for the winter months a type of operation similar to that used during the summer, i.e. a service from the Naomh Éanna at Kilronan to the two smaller islands, and that details are being worked out.