asked the Minister for Communications the present position of the Commissioners of Irish Lights with regard to funding the operation, maintenance and development of lighthouses, lightships, and other navigation aids.
Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers. - Commissioners of Irish Lights.
8.
Mr. Mitchell
Under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, responsibility for the provision and maintenance of lights services, comprising lighthouses, light vessels, beacons and so on, around the coasts of Ireland and Britain is vested in three bodies, known as general lighthouse authorities, namely, the Commissioners of Irish Lights, who serve the coasts around Ireland, Trinity House which has responsibility for England and Wales and the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses, who are responsible for Scotland and the Isle of Man. While the lights in the three areas are separately held and managed by the three lighthouse authorities, the whole system of lights around the coasts of Britain and Ireland is administered as a single financial unit. Expenditure is met from the General Lighthouse Fund which derives its income from the collection of light dues in ports in Britain and Ireland.
There is a substantial gap between revenue from light dues in Ireland and expenditure by the Commissioners of Irish Lights. This arises because the elaborate system of lights demanded by the geographical situation of Ireland has not been matched by a corresponding flow of shipping traffic into Irish ports. The cost of operations of the CIL in the State in the year ended 31 March 1985 exceeded revenue by about £7 million.
Following negotiations between the Irish and British authorities, it has been agreed that in future a greater share of the costs incurred by the CIL in the State will be met from sources in the State. Under the agreement, the lights dues collected at Irish ports will be supplemented as necessary by an Exchequer contribution so that total revenue from sources in the State will account for 50 per cent of CIL's expenditure in the State. The arrangement will be phased in over a five-year period commencing at a level of 30 per cent in 1987 and increasing to reach the 50 per cent level by 1991. It is estimated that the cost to the Exchequer in 1987 will be of the order of £1.4 million.
Would the Minister like to tell the House whether any estimate has been made of the percentage of British ships and boats that have availed of the services of the Commissioners for Irish Lights around Ireland? What percentage of the total does that account for? Is there any way of so determining?
There is no precise way for so determining, although some attempt has been made at estimating the extent of British use of our lights. I do not have the figures with me here. The situation is that the Commissioners of Irish Lights are a 32-county body and therefore fall under the joint jurisdiction of the British and Irish Governments. They are to remain a 32-county body and also an intrinsic part of the overall lights system for these islands. The Commissioners of Irish Lights have been spending, within the Republic, a great deal more than the moneys got in port dues. However, it would be very unfair that 100 per cent of the expenditure for Irish lights in the State should fall on the State because British ships passing by our shores use those lights. So it has been estimated that the appropriate cost would be 50 per cent for us and 50 per cent for the British.
In regard to the tonnage registered as Irish shipping and the tonnage registered as British shipping, would the Minister not agree that 50 per cent is more than a just share of the expenses, even taking into account the fact that Irish personnel are employed? Would the Minister rebut charges made in the British House of Commons that Ireland was getting an undue amount of money in this regard?
I sympathise very much with what Deputy Wilson has said. I have let it be known to my counterpart in Britain that I am irritated, to say the least, by this issue. As the House will be aware, it was originally raised at a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee at Westminster and as a result of the situation we have been forced to accept a situation where the Irish taxpayer will bear a part of the cost for Irish lights in the future, 50 per cent of the total expenditure after five years. While our negotiators have done a good job, it still remains a fact that Irish taxpayers may be called upon to pay this proportion of the costs in future years. There is no call on British taxpayers. That is an anomalous situation and my irritation and anger has been expressed to my colleague in London. However, as a result of negotiations we have now agreed on something a lot less than was originally demanded, a lot less than 100 per cent.
Is the 50 per cent in addition to dues or is the grand total to be 50 per cent dues plus a subsidy from the Exchequer here?
It will be 50 per cent total expenditure. Any shortfall in dues will be made up by the Exchequer contribution.
As of now, what percentage of the total are dues that are being collected?
They are a very small percentage, of the order of 10 to 12 per cent.