Ned O'Keeffe
Ceist:201 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Marine the reason no progress has been made at a dockyard (details supplied) in County Cork.
Written Answers. - Cork Dockyard.
Cork Dockyard was purchased by Damen Shipyards in 1990. The yard has carried out dry-docking, refit and repair work on a number of Irish vessels during this period.
Progress in expanding the Dockyard's operations and employment content has been greatly inhibited, however, by the general downturn in world economic performance and the related slump in demand for shipbuilding and slip repair.
Damen Shipyards are nevertheless, confident that when an upturn in demand for repair and construction occurs, Cork Dockyard will be well placed to expand its operations and employment content. In the meantime, the company, in conjunction with the IDA, is examining various other engineering sectors in which the yard could compete.