Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 23 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 7

Written Answers. - Port Development.

Michael Finucane

Ceist:

126 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 113 of 10 November 1998, he has collated the information in relation to the State assistance given to each of the ports outlined; and if he is in a position to provide the appropriate reply. [5243/99]

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

The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the amount of State assistance given to certain ports since 1975 has been assembled from records held in my Department since 1987 and predecessor Departments in respect of the period prior to that.

The following table gives a breakdown of the amount of State aid given to each of the ports identified by the Deputy for the period 1975 to date as requested.

Port	State Aid£ million
Cork	22.0*
Dublin	9.0**
Drogheda	2.0
Foynes	0.5
Galway	–
New Ross	0.2
Shannon Estuary	–
Waterford	0.5***

*Part of the State investment in Cork was refunded to the Exchequer by the EU.

**£9m paid to Dublin Port and Docks Board was in respect of compensation for the acquisition by the State of the Board's Custom House Docks site.

***£225,000 of the State investment in Waterford was refunded to the Exchequer by the EU. A further £3.2 million was made available to Waterford Harbour Commissioners in December 1998 in the lead up to corporatisation as a commercial State company in January 1999.