asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the urgent necessity to put Wicklow harbour into a suitable state of repair, he will give Wicklow Harbour Commissioners permission to go ahead with the scheme proposed by them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wicklow Harbour Scheme.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a question addressed to me on this subject on 20th October, 1953, to which I am unable to add anything at present. Examination of the proposals made by the Wicklow Harbour Commissioners is proceeding as expeditiously as possible.
Is the Minister aware that in the past fortnight owing to the weather the fertiliser company had to pay £250 demurrage on one boat?Within a week three boats came in on the one day and the result was that two boats claimed £50 per day demurrage extra from the factory. In view of that, would the Minister not expedite his decision and allow the harbour commissioners to take the two berths they had formerly?
I understand that the estimate of the cost of the proposed works which is being prepared by the Board of Works may be available next month. Then it may be necessary to consider whether the circumstances are such as to justify the fairly substantial additional State grant that may be involved.
In view of the statement I have made, would the Minister have the position rectified? Does he not consider it a serious matter that the fertiliser company only have one berth where they formerly had two?
The works for which the State grants were made could have been in progress by now but for the decision of the harbour commissioners.
We should now be in a better position than we are at the present time when we have only one berth where we had two. Will we have to wait for another by-election?
The Deputy could always arrange that.