I thank the Chair for allowing me to raise this subject on the Adjournment and the Minister for coming here this evening. The last time any substantial sum of money was expended on the port of Greencastle was in 1963. In 1978 the estimate for the development works on the pier was £840,000 and Donegal County Council agreed to pay their 25 per cent contribution. Unfortunately, because the situation has drastically changed since then and costs have escalated, the council will find it difficult to meet their contribution. In 1979 a revised estimate gave the cost at £1.5 million, in 1981 that increased to £2 million and the total cost is now estimated at more than £3 million. At 1983 costs the local authorities' contribution will be in the region of £60,000 per annum for 30 years. This will be a very severe imposition on the local authority. However, the Minister told me he was not responsible for that aspect and that I should get in touch with another Department.
There is a dire need for the development of this fishing port. Fishing is a very extensive business in Donegal and the economy of the county, and the country, depends on fishing. Killybegs serves the west of the county, Burtonport the north-west and Greencastle the east. The Department have spent a considerable amount of money developing another part on Lough Swilly, Leenan, which will complement the Greencastle port. There is extensive fishing in the North Atlantic and these ports are very important to the fishermen.
There is an estimated turnover of £4 million in the Greencastle port. Over the last three or four winters our fishermen fished for mackerel in the North Atlantic and these fishermen had to go to the port of Derry to discharge their catches. This meant they lost money because they had to travel 25 miles to and from Greencastle.
I do not need to stress the importance of developing this port. In fairness to the present Minister and his predecessors it must be said that they have shown a willingness to develop this port. The time has come to take action, otherwise fishermen who are prepared to invest in larger boats will be denied the opportunity to expand. Statistics show that every fisherman at sea can create three onshore jobs. In Greencastle there are approximately 150 to 200 fishermen fishing from that port and the onshore jobs are limited. There could be an expansion of processing catches if the proper facilities were provided. Unemployment in the Inishowen Peninsula is the highest in the country and there is a great need to create jobs in that area. Here is a golden opportunity for the Government to help. They could provide the money which should have been spent over the past five or six years. This would be an investment in the future of the fishermen of Greencastle, the young people who would get onshore jobs and enterprising people would be prepared to invest in the fishing industry if the proper facilities were provided.
I understand that Donegal County Council wish to send a deputation to meet the Minister and that the Minister has had consultations with the fishermen's co-operative. I would be interested to hear what will be done for this area in the future. I would be very concerned if there was any cut-back on the planned development because this development was to make this a prosperous and enterprising fishing port. Any cut-back in the planned development would not be to the benefit of the fishermen or of anybody who wished to invest in the fish processing industry. If we have to go back to the drawing board there will be a delay which should not be allowed, because we all know how urgent it is to develop our ports. As I said, here is an opportunity for the Government to take action. I hope we will hear some good news from the Minister tonight and that he will give a commitment that something will be done to help Greencastle in 1984.
I am giving way now to Deputy Gallagher.
