Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 10 Mar 1994

Vol. 139 No. 13

Adjournment Matters. - Reopening of Border Crossings.

Mr. G. Reynolds

It was reported that the Minister would attend in his pyjamas. I appreciate the Minister leaving his sick bed on his return from America to listen to my contribution. He takes the issue of Border crossings very seriously and I thank him for taking this matter on the Adjournment.

There has been an ongoing problem since the Border crossings between Leitrim and County Fermanagh were closed in the mid-1970s. Leitrim is in the disadvantaged position of being the only Border county without direct access to Northern Ireland.

Leitrim County Council has raised this matter on numerous occasions. It sent a deputation to the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Lenihan, who told the representatives that he would raise the matter with the Anglo-Irish Secretariat. That was six years ago and, unfortunately, the situation has not changed.

Two Border crossings should be opened immediately. One is the Rossinver-Dooagh to Garrison crossing and the other is the crossing from Kiltyclogher to Cashel Bridge. The former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy David Andrews, and the present Minister, Deputy Spring, have visited the Border crossings in County Leitrim and both are aware of the situation.

Kiltyclogher is one of the few villages in the Republic to have suffered terrorist attacks. The local vocational school was bombed in the mid-1970s. Since then Kiltyclogher has suffered as a result of devastating socio-economic factors. The village and community are dying a slow and painful economic death. Business people are depending on a hinterland which has been eroded by emigration and migration. The community has suffered in silence for long enough and the opening of a Border crossing which would give the village a greater hinterland would be the first step in re-awakening economic prosperity in the area.

The Rossinver-Dooagh-Garrison crossing is on the shores of Lough Melvin. A study commissioned by the EC and the Irish and British Governments was carried out on the area in 1986. The report stated: "The strategy for tourism is central to future development of the Lough Melvin catchment area". The closure of Border crossings in Leitrim has affected tourism potential in several ways. The most obvious and direct effect is that it adds a 20 mile detour for people who wish to travel around the lake and for those who wish to travel between Garrison and Rossinver — a distance of two miles without the cratering. In addition, the stark appearance of barriers at Derryhaser and between Garrison and Rossinver is unattractive and is a striking visual reminder of the Border security problem.

Road closures are an important barrier to the economic development of the region. Although we are not in a position to evaluate the non-economic issues involved in the re-opening of the roads, it is imperative to stress the damaging economic implications of the road closures. In recent years the Lough Melvin area has received substantial investment for fisheries and the improvement of jetties and mooring points from Government agencies, such as Bord Fáilte and the regional tourism organisation. Funds have also been provided from the European Regional Development Social Fund and the International Fund for Ireland. While fishing is of primary importance it does not necessarily exclude a range of other tourism products which could be developed. The commissioned study on Lough Melvin said that the main strengths of that area in the context of tourism potential were a virtually unique blend of angling opportunities, good though not exceptional scenic characteristics and a wide range of potential complementary tourism products.

My colleague, Mr. Joe McCartan MEP, raised this matter on a number of occasions in the European Parliament. He was informed by a former British Minister that if the Irish Government was willing to provide a security crossing, the British Government would have no problem in opening Border crossings. Over a number of years much has been done on the Northern Ireland side of the Border to upgrade the crossing as far as the bridge at Dooagh which is now impassable. The road structure to that location has been improved.

Could the Minister clarify if the Border crossings would be re-opened if the Irish Government was willing to provide a security presence? There has been much talk about this issue in the region. We believe that, in view of the present situation in Northern Ireland and the joint declaration, this is an excellent opportunity to show the people of both Leitrim and Fermanagh that we are willing to open at least one Border crossing between those two counties. I would be grateful if the Minister could state that a Border crossing would be opened if the Irish Government provided a security presence.

Thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for allowing me to raise this matter.

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (Mr. T. Kitt)

I am aware of the Senator's concern about this matter and he, in turn, is aware of my interest. The fact that I travelled from New York to answer his question bears that out.

The Tánaiste is in London today and both of us have received many representations on this matter. The Government is aware of the serious economic and social problems caused by the closure of roads along the Border, particularly those linking Counties Leitrim and Fermanagh, all of which have been closed for some time.

The Government has repeatedly raised the issue of road closures with the British authorities and the matter will again be the subject of discussion at today's meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference in London. The Tánaiste visited parts of the Border area last year and met several local representatives to hear their concerns about the road closures. This illustrates the importance which the Government attaches to the problem. The fact that we have continually raised the matter at successive meetings of the conference, and highlighted through the Anglo-Irish Secretariat in Belfast the economic problems that have been caused along the Border, are firm indications of how seriously we regard the problems caused by road closures.

The policy of closing Border roads was instituted in the 1970s by the British authorities in an effort to counter Provisional IRA attacks on targets in Northern Ireland. If there was a cessation of violence by the IRA there is no doubt that the entire security atmosphere would be transformed and the resulting impact on the community as a whole, including the Border communities, would be immense. It is important to realise the extent of the transformation that would come about with a permanent cessation of violence, not just in the area of closed roads but throughout society North and South. It is all the more regrettable and reprehensible that the IRA should continue to commit acts of horrific violence when they know the overwhelming majority of people North and South fervently wish for peace.

Leitrim is one of the counties that has suffered most from emigration, as Senator Reynolds knows. As tourism is one of the major sources of employment, Leitrim in particular and the north-west in general depend to a greater extent than most regions on attracting tourists. There is little doubt that the lack of road access between Leitrim and Fermanagh hampered the development of tourism in the county. This is especially so of the area around Lough Melvin in north Leitrim, which is cut off from the neighbouring County Fermanagh and thus deprived of opportunities for development as a tourist amenity.

Also of great potential importance to the county is the Ballinamore-Ballyconnell canal which will link the Shannon-Erne waterway. It is desirable that the waterway should not be prevented from reaching its full potential by the lack of access by road. The town of Manorhamilton has also suffered in commercial terms, while many farmers along the Border have had to curtail their activities as a result of the closed Border roads.

This is not to say that the economic disadvantage has been confined to the Leitrim and Fermanagh area, but it is fair to say that the problem of closed roads is at its most acute there, while towns in other counties have, of course, also lost out substantially.

The Government has frequently emphasised to the British authorities that their policy of keeping roads closed should be constantly reviewed in the light of the economic and social cost to the community. The security of those living along the Border has to be the predominant factor and we recognise that fact. Nevertheless, security considerations often change and it is important that such changes are taken into account. It is also important that security factors are balanced against the economic and social consequences of keeping a particular road closed.

The Government believes that, on the face of it, there is a clear case for reviewing each of the closed roads between Leitrim and Fermanagh, and we will continue to point this out to the British Government, as we have done in the past. In our view, the fact that 100 per cent of the Border crossings between Leitrim and Fermanagh are closed strongly suggests that a close and detailed review of the situation on the ground is called for in the area. Of course, attacks by the Provisional IRA on Border checkpoints, such as for example, the "human bomb" attacks used in the past, not only show an utter disregard for human life but also reinforce the arguments for keeping cross-Border roads closed. It is the general public who then have to suffer great inconvenience as a result of such attacks.

I assure Senator Reynolds that the Government will continue to draw attention, through the Anglo-Irish Conference, as indeed the Tánaiste is doing today in London, to the serious economic and social consequences of road closures. The Government will emphasise, as before, that roads should only be kept closed when there are overwhelming reasons of security and that closures must be reviewed on a regular basis.

Senator Reynolds made a point concerning checkpoints. That would be a matter for the Garda. I know they have a preference for mobile, rather than fixed, patrols.