Vol. 491 No. 2
101 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 88 and 89 of 16 December 1997 whether the grant of £52,500, which his Department had allocated to Cork County Council towards the silt dredging scheme at Ballycotton, has been spent on this project; if not, whether the money has been diverted to another project; if so, the name of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11637/98]
102 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 88 and 89 of 16 December 1997 whether the necessary tendering procedures towards the cost of the silt dredging scheme in Ballycotton, which he said had been initiated at that time, have been completed; if the local authority will be proceeding with the dredging works as early as possible in 1998; the proposed date of commencement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11638/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 102 together.
The harbour at Ballycotton is owned by Cork County Council, which is responsible for its repair and maintenance. Accordingly, it is a matter for the local authority in the first instance to determine what works may be required at the harbour.
Last year, Cork County Council was notified by my Department that a grant assistance of £52,500 was being made available towards a silt dredging scheme at Ballycotton. The county council was unable to carry out this scheme during 1997 and, at the local authority's own request, my Department re-allocated the 1997 grant to facilitate the completion of a new pier extension at Courtmacsherry.
