It gives me no pleasure to raise this matter but I am doing so because this tender has caused outrage on Clare Island. Chris O'Grady and his family operated the ferry service for many years. Over the years, Mr. O'Grady fought to get a ferry service for the island. Some years ago he started the service which was the only ferry service to the island. He was doing so before the Department paid any subsidy. The Gaeltacht islands had an advantage which the non-Gaeltacht islands did not enjoy. Mr. O'Grady fought with many Taoisigh to secure this service but he was badly treated by the Department and the Minister this year. It was not the time to have a go at him as he lost his wife and father-in-law this year and his son was in a serious accident.
How can any Department give a tender or a licence to someone who does not have a boat? An individual obtained a licence on 1 September. That person then bought a boat which went into service on 8 October. This issue will not finish here tonight. I have nothing against the person who bought the boat. However, I would have applied for this tender if I knew I was going to be successful and I would then have bought the boat. Mr. O'Grady put his life's savings and his life's work into buying a boat. The boat which was awarded the tender can only carry passengers, it cannot carry cargo or animals.
I will write to Deputy Jim Mitchell, Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts, to ask that he investigate the tendering process as there was major political interference in this case. I am sorry the Minister with responsibility for this mat ter is not in the House but there was political interference in this case as no Minister could give someone without a boat a licence to operate a ferry service.