den Aire Turasóireachta agus lompair an bhfuil sé i gceist ag an Rialtas seirbhís farantóireachta a chur ar fáil d'Oileáin Árann, ós rud é nach mbeidh an Naomh Éanna ar fáil a thuilleadh; agus, má tá, cén uair.
36.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Seirbhís Farantóireachta d'Oileáin Árann.
7. D'fhiafraigh
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he will meet a deputation from the Aran Islands, County Galway to discuss the future of the ferry service to the islands following the failure of MV Naomh Éanna to pass certification tests; and, if so, when.
42.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the present position regarding the proposed new roll-on/roll-off ferry service to the Aran Islands, County Galway to replace MV Naomh Éanna.
67.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the reason for the delay in deciding on the roll-on roll-off ferry boat proposals for the Aran Islands, County Galway.
73.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he will approve of the plans for the construction of roll-on/roll-off vessels to serve the Aran Islands which have been before his Department for over seven years.
Tá sé ar intinn agam Uimhreacha 7, 36, 42, 67 agus 73 a fhreagairt le chéile.
Go luath sa bhliain d'ullmhaigh mé tograí chun seirbhís farantóireachta idir an mhórthír agus Oileán Árann a athnuachan agus a fheabhsú. Bhí orm na tograí a chur ar athló mar gheall ar fhadhbanna cáinaisnéise.
Tá dianghá anois leis an tseirbhís farantóireachta a athscrúdú os rud é gur theip ar an Naomh Éanna le déanaí na riachtanais iomlána sábháilteachta don teastas paisinéirí a chomhlíonadh. Tá cúram na seirbhíse ar Chóras Iompair Éireann agus tá an bord ag ullmhú cuntais iomlán dom faoi láthair faoin tseirbhís san fhadtréimhse. Féadfaidh an Teach a bheith cinnte de go scrúdóidh mé an tuairisc seo láithreach bonn agus go socrófar ceist na seirbhíse gan mhoill. Idir an dá linn, leanfaidh Córas Iompair Éireann ar aghaidh leis tseirbhís farantóireachta a cuireadh in ionad an Naomh Éanna le déanaí trí shocrú a rinne an bord le conraitheoir príobháideach.
Beidh mé ag caint le hionadaí os na hoileáin faoin gceist, tráthnóna amárach.
An nglacann an tAire leis go bhfuil oibleagáidí foirmeálta, taobh istigh de na hAchtanna Chóras Iompair, ag an Roinn córas ceart a chur ar fáil do mhuintir na n-oileán? Chomh maith leis sin, cé na moltaí dearfa atá aige sa ghearrthréimhse, agus níl mé ag caint faoin tseirbhís phríobháideach, chun freastal ar riachtanais na n-oileán? An bhfuil sé ar intinn aige cinneadh dearfa a dhéanamh leis na daoine atá ag teacht go dtí a oifig amárach?
Glacaim leis an méid a dúirt an Teachta, go bhfuil dualgas agus oibleagáid ar Chóras Iompair Éireann i leith na seirbhísí seo. Sin an chéad cheist a chuir an Teachta. An dara ceist ná céard a tharlóidh tar éis an tseirbhís phríobháideach seo a bheith curtha ar ceal, má chuirtear ar ceal í. Mar a dúirt mé sa fhreagra go luath sa bhliain seo, d'ullmhaigh mise na tograí chun seirbhís farantóireachta a athnuachan agus a fheabhsú. Chuir fadhbanna cáinaisnéise isteach air sin. Dá bhrí sin, i láthair na huaire tá Córas Iompair Éireann ag ullmhú meamraim dom, agus a thúisce is a thagann sé chuig mo oifig déanfaidh mise agus an Rialtas grinnstaidéar air.
Arising from the Minister's reply in which he referred to CIE, would he not agree that CIE have acted irresponsibly in their knowledge that the Naomh Éanna would not pass its certification test and that they allowed the service to go out of existence without any contingency plan and gave short notice to their employees? What basis is there for the assurances given to the islanders last Sunday week by the Minister of State at the Department of Education that the Government were hopeful of European funding for financing the roll-on roll-off service? Finally, does he accept the report which was commissioned and agreed and cost £30,000, which was put forward to his Department so many years ago when he was previously a Minister in the Department for a resolution of this problem in the long term?
Firstly, I reject the Deputy's suggestion that CIE were irresponsible in regard to this matter. If CIE had not put in place a service I would accept that they would have been irresponsible. I do not accept that they were irresponsible because they have put in place a good service to the islands as of now. The other question the Deputy asked related to some statement made by the Minister of State. I am not aware of what exactly the Minister of State said, but I would like to place it in the general context of what is going on at present, namely, consideration in the regions of all kinds of development with a view to availing of the new double structural funds in Europe.
Ó thaobh an fhreagra a thug an tAire gur ghlac sé go luath sa bhliain seo le tograí faoi athnuachan agus feabhsúcháin ar an gcóras farantóireachta do Oileáin Árann, an bhféadfadh sé a chur in iúl don Teach sna tograí sin a deir sé gur ghlac sé leo, an é sin gur ghlac sé le córas ró-ró, roll on, roll off, a chur ar fáil do na hoileáin, mar atá molta ag Coiste Farantóirachta na nOileán?
Bhí seirbhís ró-ró i gceist sna tograí sin.
I am very anxious, because of the anxiety of the islanders. For example, one woman paid up to £70 to bring her child for orthodontic treatment on the mainland. I am anxious to establish the status of an assurance given on behalf of the Minister by the Minister of State at the Department of Education last Sunday week at a public meeting attended by Deputy Molloy and myself. A definite proposal was put forward for European funding for the long term resolution of a ferry service for the islands.
Ceist, le do thoil.
Is there a definite proposal accepted by the regional authority, discussed in the Minister's Department or sent to the Department of Finance or to Brussels, or was it just a leithscéal, or a piece of wind, that was being offered?
The Deputy is getting very intense about this matter.
If the Minister was on the island——
I was on the island.
Did the Minister make a promise that he would give them their service?
Táim tugtha do mhuintir na n-oileán, agus tá tusa ag teacht mar Gholl Mac Morna, sórt gaiscígh as na hoileáin. Tá mise chomh ceanúil ar mhuintir na n-oileán is atá tusa — agus bhí mé ann cheana féin — agus ar a gcultúr.
Cruthaigh é.
Tá sé cruthaithe agam cheana féin, agus tá seirbhís ann agus tá na tograí ann. Mar a dúirt mé cheana féin, beidh an Rialtas agus beidh muidne sa Roinn Turasóireachta agus Iompair ag lorg airgid do na hoileáin ón Eoraip.
Is it not true that the Minister's Department have had this matter under active consideration since 1978 when they received the first B & I report on the transport of passengers and goods to the Aran Islands and also that the Aran Islands transport committee submitted a report to his Department in October 1984 and that both of these reports recommended similar solutions, basically, a daily roll-on roll-off service for Ros a'Mhíl? Would he now indicate his decision regarding the type of boats to be used on the service, the mainland and island terminals and the structure of the organisation to run the services? There is no money involved. It is just a decision of Government.
I agree with the Deputy that there were proposals in my Department when he was a member of Government and in the mid-eighties as well. I want to repeat and to make it clear to the House that as of now and in the new circumstances Roinn na Gaeltacht and CIE are putting a plan together which I have not yet received and I cannot make a judgment on it until I have seen it.
They did that in 1978.
I can guarantee to the House that it is of particular concern to my Department and to the Government that a proper service should be available to the people.
Ceist 8.
I wish to give notice of my intention to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy.