Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 17 Jun 1999

Vol. 159 No. 17

Adjournment Matter. - Loran C Project.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

I thank the Cathaoirleach for affording me the opportunity to raise this matter on the Adjournment. This matter has been raised in the House on many occasions since 1992 and it concerns the people of west County Clare in particular. It arises from an international agreement signed by the Government relating to navigational aid systems by which it is bound. The matter has dragged on for seven years and has caused great anxiety, concern and distress to the community of the Loop Head peninsula area of west Clare. I understand the matter is still being considered in the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources. The Minister visited the Loop Head area some months ago and met with some of the local people. I understand an agreement was reached that a full consultative process would take place. The Minister should not seek a renewal of the planning permission for the Loran C mast granted some time ago which is due to expire before the end of the year. In doing so, he will allay the fears and concerns of the community on the Loop Head peninsula.

Funding is provided in this year's Estimates towards Loran C. It will provide one job on the Loop Head peninsula. If the Minister were to provide funding for investment in upgrading the harbours in the west Clare area, especially the harbour of Carrigaholt, the slipway at Kilkee, completion of the pier at Doonbeg and the sea field into Liscannor, it would be more productive and beneficial to the isolated rural community along the west coast of Clare. It would generate much more employment than the Loran C mast. The proposal for the mast is despicable and unacceptable.

Given that the proposal has been milling around in the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources for seven years, the Minister should be in a position to reach a conclusion on the issue and inform the House that it is not intended to proceed with the erection of the Loran C mast on the Loop Head peninsula. He should allay the fears in the west Clare area and, by so doing, he would do an enormous service to the community and to the people. By diverting moneys, he would also do something positive, productive and beneficial for the people of the area.

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

I am happy to have the opportunity to update Senator Taylor-Quinn on the position on the proposed Loran C radio mast at Loop Head, County Clare.

Local people in the Loop Head area expressed concerns that the Loran C facility poses a threat to health and the environment. The amendment which I tabled ensured the powers conferred on the commissioners relating to the provision and operation of radio aids could not be activated in respect of the Loran C system unless an appropriate order was made by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources and, most importantly, that such a draft order must be approved by both Houses of the Oireachtas. I assure Senator Taylor-Quinn, who took part in the debates on the matter at the time, that remains the overall position. There will be no development without recourse to the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The Senator will recall that I gave a firm commitment at the time to engage in an extensive process of consultation to allow interested parties to put forward their views on the Loran C project. I also undertook to visit the Loop Head area and meet with the local people who are most affected by the proposed development. As the Senator knows, I visited the area and held discussions with the local people.

I wrote to my counterparts in the other countries which are party to the international agreement and advised them as to the Irish position and invited their views. While the replies I received reflected a degree of understanding and were supportive of our proposed approach, they made it clear that we are expected to live up to our international commitments.

On the wider international front, significant worldwide developments are taking place in connection with Loran C. The continuation of the US Loran C network until at least 2008 has effectively been agreed. There is a high level of interest on the part of Russia in linking the European Loran C chain with its compatible Chayka network with a view to increasing overall system coverage. Italy is interested in joining the European system and negotiations are under way in this regard. The UK has also indicated that it intends to take up membership soon.

Significantly, the European Commission has recently endorsed an approved grant aid for a feasibility study of Eurofix, a proposed new Loran C augmentation system combining the Loran C signal and the satellite global positioning system signal to achieve enhanced accuracy and reliability. Land based Eurofix is also seen as having great potential for cost-effective integration with satellite systems in a future European civilian radio navigation infrastructure.

As regards the position here, I assure the Senator that I have not lost sight of the promised broad based consultation process. I intend to resume this process when the findings of the expert technical study are to hand to properly inform its deliberations. Furthermore, nothing definitive will be done with the process without consulting the local group. In the meantime, my Department will keep it informed of developments with regard to the expert study.

In order to reassure the Senator, I reiterate that the overall matter of Loran C will, in any event, have to be brought back to this House and Dáil Éireann for full debate and consideration of a report which it is proposed to produce at the end of the comprehensive consultation process.

With regard to moneys, I have done a good job in catering for the area in question. I refer particularly to Quilty, where I made a major investment that was greatly appreciated by the local community.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

It was much appreciated.

Dr. Woods

A proportion of the other moneys that have been allocated will be required during the current year and an assessment will be made in respect of any moneys which are not required as the year progresses.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

Is the Minister in a position to provide details of the expert study? For what purpose will the funding to which the Minister referred be required during the year?

Dr. Woods

In my reply I provided some information on the technical developments that are taking place in Ireland and on the international front which are highly relevant to this issue. I cannot provide information off the cuff in respect of other technical developments.

With regard to funding, costs such as those relating to storage and transfer of some of the material that has already been purchased are provided for in the Estimates for this year. In any event, the destination of funding will depend on what happens as the year progresses. As is normally the case with Estimates, it will be possible to state what will happen to the funds later in the year.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

I wish to make a final point.

An Cathaoirleach

The Senator should be brief. This is not a question and answer session.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

I appreciate the Cathaoirleach's patience. With regard to the materials that have been transferred, was the Minister referring to the materials which have been transferred from France to Ireland?

Dr. Woods

I cannot inform the Senator with regard to the nature or quantity of the materials which have been transferred. The funds provided in the Estimates were designated to cover storage or transfer costs. If we do not avail of the facilities offered by our colleagues in this process, we will be obliged to store some of the material in Ireland rather than in France. That was the only form of transfer to which I referred. This matter was already elaborated upon in the debate on the Estimates. The level of expenditure will depend on events that occur as the year progresses. Any moneys that are not required will be assessed later in the year.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

I am sure the Minister will be able to make a decision how that assessment is made.

Dr. Woods

Quilty has already been well catered for.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

I thank the Minister for the money allocated to Quilty. His intervention was much appreciated.

The Seanad adjourned at 4.15 p.m. until 10.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 22 June 1999.