asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state if in view of the age, unsuitability and unreliability of the s.s. Dun Aengus, he will recommend the building or purchase of a new and modern vessel specially suited to provide a proper and reliable service between the Aran Islands and the mainland.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Aran Islands Service.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state in regard to the s.s. Dun Aengus (a) the year in which this ship was built; (b) the total cost of the repairs and overhauls which have had to be carried out on this ship in the course of the last five years; (c) the annual loss sustained on the running of this ship additional to the cost of repairs and overhauls in each of the last five years and (d) the number of occasions and length of periods during which this ship had to be taken out of service owing to breakdown, repairs or overhauls during the last five years.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 15 together.
C.I.E. were informed, on the occasion of the transfer of the Dun Aengus to them in July, 1951, of my desire that the vessel should be replaced. The board have examined the position and have submitted certain proposals which are under consideration.
The s.s. Dun Aengus was built in 1912. The cost of repairs and overhauls in the last five years was approximately £28,000. The losses sustained by the Galway Bay Steamboat Company in the running of the vessel between the 1st January, 1948, and 4th August, 1951, when the vessel was transferred to C.I.E. were as follows: 1948, £1,670; 1949, £2,446; 1950, £2,959; 1951, £2,385. (1st January to 3rd August).
C.I.E. state that since the 4th August, 1951, the following losses have been sustained by them on the operation of the vessel: 4th August, 1951— 31st March, 1952, £2,376; 1st April, 1952—31st March, 1953, £4,487. Since the 1st January, 1948, the vessel wastaken out of service owing to breakdown, repairs or overhauls for the following periods: 27th January, 1949, to 28th February, 1949—Annual survey; 10th October, 1951, to 16th April, 1952— General overhaul; 22nd March, 1953, to 10th April, 1953—Annual survey; 29th April, 1953, to 5th May, 1953— Repairs to cylinder.