Vol. 389 No. 6
asked the Minister for the Marine if he has any plans to give financial assistance to the committee who plan to erect a national memorial to honour Ireland's merchant seamen who died in the service of their country during the 1939-1945 war; if he agrees that those heroes died in the service of their country and braved the perils of the world's oceans to bring essential supplies to our people; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
21.
asked the Minister for the Marine if he has received an application from the Irish Merchant Seamen Memorial Committee for additional funding from the Government or through the national lottery to allow the completion of the proposed national monument to Irish merchant seamen who died during the Second World War, while serving this country; if it is intended to provide additional funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 21 together.
At the outset, I would like to take this opportunity to express my full support for the proposal to erect a memorial to those Irish seamen who lost their lives on Irish ships carrying vital supplies to this country during the 1939-45 Emergency. In an effort to further the proposed project my Department obtained sanction from the Minister for Finance for the making of a grant, not exceeding £14,500, during 1989, towards the cost of erecting a suitable memorial to those seafarers who served this country during a time of peril. The grant commitment, however, was made subject to the strict condition that it be paid only in the event that the project proceeded as planned and that the remainder of the costs involved would be met by the promoters.
The Irish Merchant Seamen Memorial Committee has recently lodged an application for the payment of this sum. In response my Department have written to the secretary of the committee seeking details of progress to date relating to the proposed project. On the receipt of satisfactory information arrangements will be made for the speedy payment of the grant assistance.
My Department have no responsibility in relation to the administration of funds under the national lottery.
Again, I thank the Minister for his reply. Would the Minister briefly elucidate on the special strict conditions attached to the payment of this grant? I understand that the committee have fulfilled their own commitments in so far as they have secured a site at City Quay in Dublin and have obtained planning permission from the local authority who have waived all fees for the development. I ask the Minister to outline to what extent this rather modest sum of £14,500 will meet the needs of the committee in erecting this long overdue memorial?
My Department have sought further details on the tenders received, the estimated cost of the completed project, the funds already raised and the proposals for further funding. As I said, we have agreed to pay this money provided the project can go ahead, but the Deputy will be aware that this project has been in the pipeline for a long time. Even though funding has been approved on different occasions, because the project was never executed the money was never paid over.
If there are some minor problems or difficulties remaining can the Minister give the House and the committee an assurance that he will do everything possible to resolve them and to promote this important project, given that 136 men on 16 different ships lost their lives bringing food and other necessary supplies to this country during the Emergency?
About a year ago I met a deputation from the Irish Merchant Seaman Memorial Committee in an effort to advance the project. If there are any difficulties the Deputy is aware of, I would be prepared to meet the committee again in an effort to iron them out and have this project completed. It is my wish to have it completed as soon as possible.
