I will have to leave at 6.30 p.m. As the Minister for Finance, Deputy Ahern, is dealing with the Finance Bill in committee at present he was not available for the Government meeting this morning so that meeting is continuing on from 6.30 p.m. With the permission of the Chair I will leave my very able Minister of State, Deputy Gerry O'Sullivan, to substitute for me.
In the short space of time since the establishment of the new committee system by the Dáil, this is the second opportunity I have had to facilitate the work of the committees. When the Select Committee on Legislation and Security examined the Estimates for the Department of Defence on May 7, I welcomed the opportunity afforded to participate in detailed discussion. I repeat the welcome today, and, together with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, I look forward to working with this Committee today, in a full spirit of openness.
I am particularly pleased to have the Marine Estimate before the Committee on Enterprise and Economic Strategy, because, fundamentally, that is what the marine sector should be about, enterprise and employment.
The marine sector is an important part of economic life, both nationally and regionally. It directly accounts for about 16,500 jobs many of them of high quality and in the most peripheral regions of the State. The fishing sector is based on recovery and processing of an indigenous resource, with little import content and a high export value.
We in Ireland frequently speak of ourselves as an island nation. There is, a clear distinction between being an island nation and an insular nation. An insular nation looks inward and has inward concerns, but an island nation looks outward, reaches out to other people and to foreign markets and welcomes people coming in.
During my time in office as Minister for the Marine I am determined to make every effort to develop an island perspective. I want to do so, not as some sort of end in itself, but because if we do so, it can mean increased prosperity and jobs for more people, many of them in the peripheral regions. That is a value to which I subscribe wholeheartedly. My philosophy in relation to the Department of the Marine, is that we should have small harbours with some form of indigenous and native industry nearby in the fish processing area and so on. We need to do much more to put heart into our island and maritime communities. They have a hard and dangerous enough life and deserve well of this State. What I am talking about can be best done in a spirit of co-operation and unity, a spirit of people working together at local level, not necessarily in great or grandiose projects, but often in smaller enterprises that reflect the indigenous resources and culture of their local area.
It is for that reason I am giving top priority to the issue of funding for the Department of the Marine, particularly in the context of the forthcoming National Development Plan. The key to the future is resources. I am seeking the funds necessary to give the people of Ireland the ports, the fishery harbours, the fishing fleet, the processing and the research facilities and all the other facilities that will make a reality of our claim to be an island nation, and not an insular nation.
Against that background, I will to turn to the Estimate. Perhaps the best way of defining our terms is to look at the marine resource as it is encapsulated in the core business of the Department. There are three main elements: ports; fish and maritime safety.
It is essentially from these three headings that the Department's spending and development programmes are derived and policy objectives for enterprise, employment and quality of life are geared.
The Department's programmes for port and harbour development and for sea fisheries, aquaculture and inland fisheries are designed to generate and underpin economic activity and to create jobs. The third element covers the vital responsibilities which the Department discharges in the interests of safety of life at sea and protecting the marine environment.
Before proceeding as outlined, I should note, as Deputies will be aware, that I carry as Minister the two portfolios of Marine and Defence. I am happy to note the usefulness of this conjunction in the execution of a number of important responsibilities of each Department. These include, for example, the provision of air-sea rescue services and the surveillance of our fishing waters. I will be returning to these aspects.
I would now like to elaborate on each of the fundamental themes identified.
Economic development in an island economy is critically dependent on competitive ports. Here we have for far too long adopoted an insular approach to development and have not developed our ports to the levels required in a modern competitive economy.
Ports play by far the dominant role in the external trade of the economy. Almost 80 per cent in volume of all external trade passes through our seaports and they handle nearly 1.2 million overseas tourism visitors. The value of external trade handled by these ports in 1991 was £16.9 billion. However, here ports tend to be seen as the last link in the chain, whereas in an island trading economy they should be regarded as the first and most vital communications link.
Major improvements are required. This means substantial investment. It also means real changes in the way ports are structured and managed. Both these objectives are top priorities of mine. A significant beginning has been made on the investment in commercial ports. The programme for the years 1989 to 1993 involves investment of about £77 million, with support from the European Community. This investment includes projects at the ports of Cork, Dublin, Rosslare and Waterford and at local ports. In addition, the Government has given its approval this year — subject to EC backing — for further expenditure of £13.1 million under the EC Cohesion Fund.
While this is a start, we need to keep the momentum going. A major development programme for the next six years has been prepared and this is being considered by the Government in its preparation of the National Development Plan. This is a major priority for me as Minister for the Marine and Minister for Defence.
A related top priority is the improvement of the management structure of ports. The new harbours Bill currently being drafted will provide for the introduction of commercial semi-State structures. It will ensure that ports in the future will be in a position to respond more effectively to market developments and customer needs.
The development of the fisheries sector, comprising sea fisheries, aquaculture and inland fisheries, is one of the central roles of the Department of the Marine and is one to which I attach a very high priority. These sectors are especially important in that, not alone do they make a significant contribution to the national economy in terms of output, employment and foreign earnings, but also because they play a key part in the economic life of many coastal communities.
The maintenance and development of coastal communities has long been a stated aim of national policy. I share this vision and mission and central Government can play a significant role in supporting these communities through the development of the fisheries sector. Those of us familiar with such communities know the important of local harbour infrastructure which often forms a focus for local economic activity and can serve as a resource for a broadly based approach to development, involving fishing, amenity and tourism activities. Sometimes relatively small amounts of financial assistance can make all the difference. It is no secret, however, despite clearly stated national aims, that securing resources to support such development is a continuing and difficult struggle in these times of financial stringency.
I am glad to inform the Committee that we have drawn up, in the context of the National Development Plan, comprehensive programmes for the development of all elements of the fisheries sector, including fishery harbour infrastructure. We estimate that through the fish processing sector, aquaculture development and inland fisheries, up to 4,000 new jobs can be created and countless others maintained.
In the fish processing sector we envisage, for example, a £40 million investment programme and the creation of over 800 jobs. The aquaculture industry also offers considerable further potential for growth. There has been a five fold increase in employment since 1982 and total employment is now of the order of 2,600 direct full and part-time jobs with indirect employment to related service industries. There is scope to create a further 1,700 jobs over the period of the national plan from 1994-1999.
As regards inland fisheries, a major development programme has been drawn up by the central and regional fisheries boards which has as its aim the creation of 1,300 jobs. Again, funding for this programme has been sought in the context of the National Development Plan for use of EC structural funding.
While many of the programmes mentioned rely on Community financial support, the call on the Exchequer is nevertheless also substantial. The total provision this year for sea fisheries, acquaculture and inland fisheries comes to £18 million.
Underpinning all of our marine development programmes are the crucial marine research efforts of the Department. Marine research spending is a necessary element to ensure that development is undertaken in an environmentally sensitive manner. This, moreover, conserves the resources for future generations. This year sees the investment through the ECSTRIDE programme — Science and Technology for Regional Innovation and Development in Europe — of more than £1.5 million in up-grading our research capability. Without a proper understanding of our fish stocks and of environmental issues, we will not have the basis on which to underpin management and development decisions. Committee members will note the provision in respect of the start-up costs of the Marine Institute. The board of the institute is already working to bring a new focus to bear on the national marine research effort and the institute will, over the next few years, establish itself in the key co-ordinating role.
A key aspect of fisheries policy is, of course, the conservation of stocks. In this regard, a vital role is played by the fisheries protection services, including the Navy, the Air Corps and the Department of the Marine and regional fisheries board fishery protection staff.
There is, I am glad to say, very positive co-operation between all these services. As Deputies will be aware, the costs involved are considerable. The bulk of these costs fall on the Defence Vote. The Department of the Marine, with the full backing of the Department of Defence, has in recent years secured substantial capital funding from the European Community for the costs of providing the fishery protection services. We are now actively pursuing the obtaining of a Community contribution towards the heavy operational costs which arise.
The Department approaches maritime safety from a number of perspectives. In the first instance, we seek to prevent accidents by applying the highest standards of construction, equipment and maintenance to ships under our own flag and to other ships which visit our ports. We seek to ensure excellence in training standards for seafarers. We maintain first-class marine communications facilities around our coasts. When accidents happen, we seek to respond with speed and efficiency to minimise the risk to life, to the marine environment and to those who are sustained by it.
Deputies will note from the Estimate that we are providing £9.1 million in respect of our marine safety and shipping programme this year. The largest part of this expenditure —£5.4 million — covers the work of the Irish Marine Emergency Service and, in particular, the cost of the Shannon based medium range helicopter, the Sikorski.
The Irish Marine Emergency Service is the hub of our marine emergency response capabilities. The service is responsible for the operational control and co-ordination aspects of all types of marine emergency, including search and rescue, sea and coastal pollution, shipwreck and casualty response. To facilitate its work in this regard, IMES has overseen a major investment programme which has substantially improved standards in recent years. Achievements to date include the upgrading to the highest standards of our marine communication system together with the modernisation of the coast and cliff rescue service.
Good communications and co-ordination are a prerequisite for effective marine emergency response. Looking further, the services of the Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre, now located at IMES headquarters, the Coast Radio Stations at Dublin, Valentia and Malin Head and the Marine Radio Engineers will be integrated into the Irish Marine Emergency Service. Three new marine rescue sub-centres will be located at the Dublin, Valentia and Malin Head coast radio stations. Work is underway to set up this structure and the training of staff is well advanced. The opening of the new Wicklow VHF station in December 1992 has completed the marine VHF communications network around our coast.
I must note at this juncture — returning to my earlier remarks — the total integration of the Air Corps and Naval Service into the marine search and rescue services of the State. This comprises many elements, for example, the provision of rescue helicopters, top-cover by fixed wing aircraft during incidents, in addition to vessels.
The other main items covered under the marine safety programmes are the Exchequer costs of the Commissioners of Irish Lights who maintain lighthouse services throughout Ireland, North and South, together with the provision for establishment of the Loran C navigation system. Improvement in standards of aids to navigation are essential in order to ensure safety of life at sea and to protect the marine environment. These improvements are a major priority for the Department, together with the Commissioners of Irish Lights. The Committee will be aware that Ireland has joined with other north west European countries to provide a safe, cost effective navigation system, known as Loran C, for our seafarers. A total of £805,000 has been allocated in 1993 to cover the capital cost associated with the building of a Loran C station at Loophead in County Clare. Both Houses of the Oireachtas have already been given extensive details of the project.
Briefly, Loran C is a radio navigation system used extensively throughout the world and the Commissioners of Irish Lights will act as agents for the Government in constructing and operating this important addition to navigation aids around our coast. I would like to reiterate to this Committee that all local sensitivities in relation to this development will continue to be thoroughly addressed. I have met with a number of groups in the context of the concerns raised and with the public representatives. I will continue to keep in touch with them and take account of the sensitivities of the local community.
Before concluding I should comment on the Department's administrative budget which underpins the staff and other over-head costs of delivering the many services provided by the Department.
Committee members will note the large increase provided within the administrative budget for salaries and wages. The figure has risen to this extent because, in addition to the increases provided under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, 1993 sees the full implementation of the Irish marine emergency service programme for rescue co-ordination and marine emergency response to which I referred earlier. The Government is determined that the highest international safety standards should apply. This has necessarily involved additional recruitment to run the upgraded facilities which have been built and commissioned in recent years. It is a measure of the national importance of this measure that we have provided for this level of service in spite of overall financial stringencies.
The technical staff profile of the Department is remarkably varied convering, as it does, scientists, engineers, marine surveyors and specialised inspectorate staff for the sea-fishing industry. This relfects once again the complexity of the resource itself.
Before commencing our discussion, I re-emphasise my wish and commitment to bringing openness to the proceedings of this Committee. I earnestly hope that my preliminary remarks have provided a focus for our discussions together with a broad sense of what it is that I hope to achieve within the Marine brief. If there is any additional information required by members I will be glad to give it after the meeting and certainly between now and the next meeting I will have with the Committee.