Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 May 1998

Vol. 490 No. 6

Written Answers. - Port Development.

Ivan Yates

Ceist:

43 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will give details of the applications submitted by the New Ross Port Company to his Department for development; the progress, if any, made to date in approving this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10901/98]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

The New Ross Port Company submitted an application for funding from the Ireland-Wales Maritime INTERREG programme on 12 December, 1997 for their River Barrow improvement scheme.

As is the case for all project developments at regional ports costing over £3 million, the EU Commission requested that an independent evaluation of the proposal be carried out. This was recently completed by the external evaluator to the EU operational programme for transport.

The evaluator's report raised certain concerns about the viability of the project given the costs associated with the works. New Ross Port Company was consulted in the matter and provided a detailed response.

The joint working group responsible for the marine development programme of the INTERREG initiative will consider the evaluator's report and the port company's response when adjudicating on the application at its next meeting which is scheduled for early June, 1998.