asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the harbours in County Donegal which will obtain grant aid from his Department during 1984.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Harbours.
9.
Consideration is at present being given to the provision of grant aid for the improvement of the following harbours in County Donegal: Killybegs, Greencastle, Burtonport, Portevlin, Portmore, Cladnageeragh, Port Inver, Portnablagh and Trá na mBad.
It would not be possible, having regard to the limited total funds available for harbour development, to commence improvements at all of the above-mentioned harbours in 1984.
My Department, in consultation with the Office of Public Works, are at present examining what new fishery harbour improvement works can be undertaken this year having regard to the estimated amount required to meet expenditure on contract works in hands and estimated expenditure on urgently needed new works in particular. Until this review is completed I cannot say which harbours in County Donegal will be grant aided in 1984.
If the Minister cannot specify which harbours, can he tell me if any harbours in Donegal will be considered?
There are on-going works for 1983 which will not be completed until sometime around the end of April next. Until such time as these works are finished and we know the amount of money required, it is impossible to estimate accurately how much is needed for these harbours. Later on in the year we will be able to give the Deputy details of the harbours we propose doing in 1984, but until that work is completed we cannot specify the exact harbours.
In view of the fact that there is mention in the capital works programme for 1984 that Killybegs will definitely be done, is the Minister of State now telling the House that the capital works programme suggests Killybegs and he is saying that Killybegs is only being considered at present?
No, I did not say that. The Deputy asked a specific question about the harbours that were receiving specific consideration for grant aid for 1984. I have given the Deputy the names of the harbours that are receiving consideration. The specific ones will be mentioned afterwards. It is my understanding that Killybegs will be done.
No doubt the Minister of State is very well aware of the need to have the one at Burtonport done. Can he give a commitment to the House today that the dredging of Burtonport will take place because it is of absolute importance that it be done? Does he realise its importance, that large boats at present cannot use Burtonport Harbour on a 24-hour basis? They can use it only in favourable tidal conditions and Burtonport will become an obsolete pier if moneys are not spent there this year. Will the Minister confirm to the House that moneys were provided in the Fianna Fáil Book of Estimates for early November 1982 for Burtonport?
I have not the Book of Estimates for the year 1982. My estimate for harbour development is £3.25 million. The Deputy asked a specific question in relation to Burtonport. Until the review I mentioned is completed and I know exactly where we stand in relation to the 1983 works I cannot give any guarantee.
Will the Minister of State give me an assurance that very serious consideration will be given to Burtonport Harbour in view of the fact that it will become an obsolete pier if the works are not carried out there this year?
I will give such an undertaking.
Might I remind the Minister of State that last year——
The whole area does not arise, that in relation to Donegal only.
The Minister of State has listed about 14 or 15 piers that would not be done for 25 years at the rate financial commitment or aid is being provided for this type of development. It is all right to list the number of harbours under consideration—one could list every harbour in Ireland—but, unless financial allocations are provided to ensure that at least some of them will be done, many of them will never be done. The Minister of State must realise that he knocked £1 million off the capital allocations for this type of work last year. Would the Minister of State make representations to ensure that the Government would restore those £1 million as a matter of urgency, thereby ensuring that at least some of the very dangerous harbours are rendered safe.
That is a general question, Deputy. Deputy P. Gallagher put down a specific question confined to Donegal.
It includes Burtonport and this relates to piers in Donegal.