Vol. 496 No. 3
113 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will outline, on a port by port basis, the amount of EU funding since its introduction in 1989 allocated to Dublin, Cork, Foynes, Shannon Estuary, Galway, New Ross, Waterford and Drogheda ports; and the State assistance given to each port from 1975 to date. [22799/98]
My Department is responsible for overseeing the allocation of EU funding under seaports measures, (1) Operational Programme for Peripherality (OPP) 1989-1993, and for the period 1994-1999 allocation of EU funding, (2) the Operational Programme for Transport (OPT), (3) the Ireland Wales Maritime INTERREG Community Initiative and (4) the Cohesion Fund, as approved by the relevant monitoring committees for each funding mechansim.
Over the period 1994-9 some £160 million will have been invested in Irish commercial seaports which includes EU co-financing of approximately £80 million. This followed an £80 million programme of modernisation and expansion already completed under the OPP.
Port authorities or other project sponsors raise the required matching co-financing from their own resources or through commercial bank borrowings.
Examples of typical projects, which are provided for under the eligibility criteria of the relevant programmes from which co-financing is allocated, include handling equipment; berthage facilities; ferry terminal facilities; improvements in port access; capital dredging and repair of structural faults.
The following is an indicative listing of EU aid to projects at the commercial seaports mentioned by the Deputy for the 1989-9 period:
|
Port |
EU Grant Assistance£ million |
|
Cork |
26.903 |
|
Dublin |
30.920 |
|
Drogheda |
4.992* |
|
Foynes |
6.228* |
|
Galway |
1.054 |
|
New Ross |
4.078* |
|
Shannon Estuary |
1.060 |
|
Waterford |
19.539 |
