Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Jun 1995

Vol. 454 No. 7

Adjournment Debate. - Wicklow Coastal and Harbour Works.

Mr. Browne

(Wexford): I thank the Chair for the opportunity of raising this issue on the Adjournment and the Minister of State, Deputy Gilmore, for coming to the House. I hope he will be able to clarify a number of matters that I intend to raise.

There seems to be at present in Wicklow a certain amount of confusion about announcements made by the Minister of State, Deputy Gilmore, and the Minister, Deputy Barrett, over the last few weeks. At a time when we hear much talk about transparency, openness and accountability, the people of Wicklow do not feel there is much of it about. On 23 May the Minister announced an allocation of £1.5 million for Arklow port development. Also on 23 May £0.5 million was announced for Wicklow port development and on 7 June £2.3 million was announced by the Minister, Deputy Barrett, for coastal protection at Bray. These allocations amounted to a total of £4.3 million. The people in charge of the projects understood that they would be allocated this amount of money. Now it seems to have been reduced from £4.3 million to £2.8 million. Perhaps the Minister of State, Deputy Gilmore, could explain the vanishing millions.

When the announcement of £1.5 million was made for Arklow harbour development, the people in charge understood that the full amount would be allocated by the Government. On the strength of the announcement the harbour board called a meeting and had a celebratory drink. However, during the last week they received a letter from an official in the Minister's Department explaining that the allocation of £1.5 million has now been reduced to £700,000 and they themselves will have to come up with £800,000. Arklow port has spent about £267,000 on dredging in the last few years and there is little likelihood of the harbour board coming up with the amount of money now expected by the Department of the Marine. They have informed me that, because of lack of funds, they will be unable to proceed further with the project.

The same is true of Wicklow harbour and in regard to coastal protection at Bray. The allocation here has been reduced from £2.3 million to £1.6 million. That means the locals will have to come up with £600,000 which is practically impossible.

I am not alleging that there was any deliberate misleading of the people involved in the three projects, but there was a perception in Arklow, in Wicklow and in Bray that the full amount of money would be made available to them through 48 per cent funding from the EU and 52 per cent funding from the Government. The letters they have received from civil servants in the Department during the week indicate that this is not the case.

When the Minister was on this side of the House, he was very vocal in stating that county councils were strapped for cash and would be in no position to raise matching funds. If they are expected to come up with the amount of money the Minister is talking about now, these projects will not be able to proceed. I ask the Minister to clarify the position because there is confusion in Wicklow. I have been canvassing there for the last three or four days and the people are very cynical about the role of politicians and this type of announcement.

Mr. Kavanagh

They are very happy with the money. They did not get it before.

Mr. Browne

(Wexford): They had the impression that this money would be given in full, but now they find the amounts have been halved. In the Evening Herald yesterday a local Deputy, my good friend across the House whom I have always found to be an honourable man, Deputy Kavanagh, admitted that grant announcements were misleading. There is confusion, but whether it was created intentionally I do not know. It is important that the Minister of State clarify the situation for the people who are about to embark on these projects because they have made it clear to me that it will be impossible for them to come up with the amount of money expected and the three projects will have to be shelved because of lack of funding. The Minister must re-examine the matter to see how increased moneys can be made available.

Minister of State at the Department of the Marine (Mr. Gilmore)

I thank Deputy Browne for raising this matter and affording me an opportunity to set the record straight. Recently, there have been reports, repeated by Deputy Browne tonight, that the Bray coastal protection scheme and the investment programme for Wicklow and Arklow ports are in jeopardy. These reports are inaccurate and mischievous. All these schemes are proceeding, as announced publicly on 23 May and 6 June. There has been no change in any of the projects.

The Bray coastal protection scheme will cost £2.3 million. EU grant aid of £1.725 million from the Environmental Services Programme 1994-99 has been allocated to the project. This is 75 per cent of the total cost which was the allocation publicly announced by the Minister and me on 6 June. The balance is being provided by the local authorities who are well aware of the funding arrangements and with whom the Department of the Marine has been working on the design of schemes for some time. The scheme will be undertaken on a phased basis over a three year period. The first phase will commence this year.

An investment programme of £1.5 million of Arklow Harbour and £0.5 million for Wicklow Harbour was announced on 23 May 1995. The press release which announced the approvals stated that EU grant aid of £0.72 million in respect of Arklow and £0.24 million in respect of Wicklow is expected towards the works, subject to the projects meeting the criteria for EU aid set down in the Transport Operational Programme. This is 48 per cent of the cost of the projects which is the maximum EU aid level permitted under the programme. This rate of aid was fixed by the last Government in 1993 when the national plan 1994-99 was drawn up.

This is the standard funding arrangement for all investment in regional ports announced in recent weeks. In this respect, Wicklow and Arklow are treated no differently from other ports in the State.

During the current by-election campaign in Wicklow, it was suggested that I originally announced a 100 per cent grant for both ports. No such announcement was made by me as any examination of the press releases issued by the Department of the Marine will confirm. There is no such thing as a "100 per cent grant" for port development. EU funds must be matched.

In the vast majority of cases, matching funds are provided by the port authority. Certain regional ports, including Arklow, have indicated they have financial difficulty in matching the EU funds and having regard to the importance of these ports to the local economy, I have asked them to submit their proposals for funding the investment programme.

Once I receive these proposals I will assess the options for ensuring that the balance of the funds are available to enable the investment programme to proceed. In addition, I commissioned an independent financial study of the ports to recommend on the long term funding requirements of the ports and how these can be achieved taking account of the planned capital investment programme.

Arklow Harbour Commissioners have asked to meet me and I will meet with a deputation from the commissioners tomorrow.

This is the first time in decades a Government has approved a major investment programme in Wicklow and Arklow ports. I am disappointed that the Government's efforts to revitalise the long neglected port of Arklow are being distorted in the course of the Wicklow by-election campaign.

I look forward to receiving proposals from both Arklow and Wicklow Harbour Commissioners for financing the investments which have been approved so that we can proceed to the next stage of the process.

The investment of £1.5 million in Arklow port and £0.5 million in Wicklow port which have been approved will proceed as announced publicly on 6 June.

The Dáil adjourned at 9.25 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 22 June 1995.