asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the present building capacity of boatyards manufacturing fishing vessels within the State, in terms of the number of normal sized trawlers that can be built per year, and the number of applications for such trawlers with Bord Iascaigh Mhara.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Boatyard Building Capacity.
24.
I am informed by An Bord Iascaigh Mhara that their own three boatyards are capable of building nine fishing trawlers per year in the size range of 50 feet to 75 feet. I am also informed that there are three privately owned boatyards in the State capable of building trawlers of these sizes and that their total capacity is about five vessels per annum.
At present the board have 36 applications for financial assistance for the purchase of new trawlers. Work is in progress on 16 of the vessels and the remaining 20 applications are at various stages of examination.