Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 7 Apr 1992

Vol. 418 No. 4

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Marine Research Vessel.

Patrick McCartan

Ceist:

22 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for the Marine the plans, if any, he has to provide a deep sea marine research vessel, capable of working to the edge of the continental shelf; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The provision of a research vessel on the lines suggested by the Deputy would cost up to £20 million. The immediate priority in this area is to apply available resources to upgrading the existing national research vessel, the Lough Beltra. Some £700,000 will be invested over the next two years in equipping the Lough Beltra to the highest international standards.

This much needed investment is one of the key marine measures under the STRIDE (Science and Technology for Regional Innovation and Development in Europe) Operational Programme for Ireland. The expenditure, which is being 75 per cent funded by the European Regional Development Fund, will involve the provision of specialised navigational, measuring and sampling equipment for the Lough Beltra. This will greatly improve the scope and quality of the ship's marine data collection capability and will enable more efficient and cost effective use to be made of the national research vessel by Irish marine interests.

Without in any way seeking to take from the excellent work the staff and crew of Lough Beltra have sought to achieve to date, would the Minister not agree that the vessel is totally inadequate for the proper research and development of our fisheries and fishery resources? Would he not accept that as an estuarial and coastal vessel of a little over 60 feet it does not measure up to what a country that retains over 25 per cent of the fishery resources of the EC requires? Can the Minister indicate whether the 75 per cent funding available under STRIDE or elsewhere for the development of the Lough Beltra would not equally be available to the Minister for the acquisition of a vessel along the lines suggested in my question? Finally, would he not accept that whatever capital is spent in this direction would be readily recouped to the Irish Exchequer through the development of adequate fisheries resources?

I would not disagree with the Deputy about the desirability of having a major fisheries research vessel.

Make up your mind and do it.

The Deputy is talking about £20 million; it may be £16 million or £17 million, but a very substantial sum. Last Friday in Luxembourg I made the point raised by the Deputy concerning the size of our resource, the need to base our conservation policies on sound information and the fact that we need greater assistance if we are to do this job properly. I am very conscious of that point and I would look to the Marine Research Institute to take up this question and examine it on our behalf. Having done that, I would be very sympathetic and we will be pursuing this.

Would the Minister concede that it is not sympathy that is required in this instance but a definite and hard decision and leadership on his part? Will he not accept that quibbling over millions of pounds in the context of an industry and a resource that is worth many times that to the Irish Exchequer is, in effect, copping out?

The House will appreciate that spending £700,000 to upgrade Lough Beltra in the interim is a very significant step on my part.

Barr
Roinn