Vol. 526 No. 5
8 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will make funding available to enable coastal erosion remedial works to be carried out in the east Cork region and to enable marine development work to be undertaken in Ballycotton and Youghal, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26978/00]
Youghal has been identified as the principal coastal protection priority in the east Cork region by Cork County Council. Under the coastal protection programme for 1999, I provided funding of £40,000 towards an engineering study of the protection needs at Youghal. My Department has been advised by the county council that this assessment is completed and that it will be forwarded to my Department within a matter of weeks. My Department has underlined to the county council the need for submission of proposals without further delay given that the Coastal Protection Programme 2001 is being finalised.
The funding requirements for coastal protection in County Cork generally, including Youghal, will be considered fully in finalising the coastal protection programme for 2001, but I stress that my Department is dependent on the timely input by Cork County Council and other coastal local authorities of coastal protection priorities.
As regards marine infrastructure development, Ballycotton and Youghal harbours are both owned by Cork County Council. The county council is responsible for maintenance and development and, to date, no development proposals have been received from Cork County Council in respect of Youghal. Comprehensive development proposals for the harbour at Ballycotton were put to my Department last year by the Ballycotton Development Association. Cork County Council supports the association's proposals and has sought financial assistance to allow the proposed works to be undertaken on a phased basis.
The funding context for all such proposals is as follows. My Department is developing an investment support scheme for the marine tourism and leisure sector. One of the main objectives of the marine tourism grant scheme is to improve marine tourism access infrastructure. A sum of £20 million has been allocated to the sector under the national development plan of which £6 million is allocated to the south and east regions. The scheme will be launched early in the new year.
I visited Youghal some months ago, as the Deputy is aware, and examined the proposals presented to me by the local association. These will be considered in the context of the overall expenditure programme.
I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply and for his interest in the area. Will he contact Cork County Council and insist on getting this report? Why has the report not been sent to him if it has been completed? It does not make sense. Will the Minister agree that work is necessary immediately in Ballycotton? The Minister has seen the place and I thank him for coming and inspecting it. Is he not aware that the harbour is silted up, that the lifeboat has a problem getting in and out, that the sea wall, the breakwater, is in danger of collapsing and that a great deal of work is needed? How much longer will his Department sit on this report before making a decision?
It is not correct to say we have been sitting on any report. I have been most proactive in respect of Ballycotton since I came to the Department. I do not know if Deputy Ahern is present but I assure the House that he has not let a week go by without reminding me of the con dition of both harbours and I am sure he is well supported by Deputy Stanton. I am conscious of the need for work in the area. I am anxious to be of assistance and it is my intention to be so. However, there is the question of two major developments in close proximity and they must be carefully examined. Perhaps the Deputy would like to give us his choice.
Both. With all the money in the coffers, there should be no excuse. I am sure the Minister will agree that since so much money is available for the national stadium in Dublin, why not look after the rest of the country first and then look after the national stadium?
Does the Minister not agree that £6 million for the south-east region is a very small amount? What is he doing to increase that? How much is requested by Ballycotton and how much does his Department estimate is required to do the work requested?
A sum of £1 million was provided over the full programme when the Deputy's party was in Government, so £6 million is a sizeable increase.
What will they do?
What about inflation?
I would be the first to admit that we always need more. However, we have a comprehensive programme of infrastructural development going on around the coast. There is no question but that the amount of money currently at my disposal is adequate to meet requirements. When I asked the Deputy "which one?", he said "both". As politicians, we have to be responsible. We cannot put multi-million pound developments every couple of miles along the coast. We have to make choices and we must be careful to obtain a commercial economic return from the strategic infrastructural planning we undertake. One of my major concerns is to obtain a proper return on the expenditure of taxpayers' money. I am also anxious to avoid any duplication of resources, which is what the Deputy seems to want, given his earlier answer to my question.
We will see what is said about that.
It is important for us to be honest.
Yes.
We cannot do two multi-million pound jobs in Ballycotton and Youghal.
The Minister would lose votes.
Well, there is—
Will the Deputy vote for both of them this afternoon, or will he have to come down in favour of one?
Allow the Minister to continue.
That is what the meeting on Friday will be about.
