|
|
Stalemate threatens Foyle ferry
20.05.11
THE Lough Foyle ferry
operators have warned they will be forced to cease
operations and dispose of their vessel due to
another stalemate on funding.
Inishowen county councillors were told this week
that strategic development funding for the ferry
from Donegal and Limavady local authorities was yet
to be signed off.
Community and enterprise administrative officer,
Aideen Doherty, told this week’s local area Council
meeting that the local authority was awaiting yearly
company accounts from the ferry operator. She said
this was a requirement agreed between the Lough
Foyle Ferry Company Ltd., Donegal County Council and
Limavady Borough Council.
Cllr Bernard McGuinness said it was “a disgrace”
that the future of the ferry was again hanging in
the balance at the mouth of the summer season.
“Quite frankly, every year we end up at the start of
the season looking for money again. It seems to be
dragged out to the last minute and then panic
stations, and it’s happening again this year,” said
Cllr McGuinness. He said somebody at Council level
had to be brought to task over the problem. This
week’s area Council meeting was told that the ferry
company had no problem supplying its accounts but
that the accounting period requested straddled its
normal accounting period and, as such, the accounts
required additional work and expense to produce. A
Catch-22 situation had arisen whereby the Councils
were unable to tell the ferry company how much
funding it could expect this year while the Councils
couldn’t designate funding without first seeing the
company accounts. Councillors agreed there was
“fault on both sides”. |
 |
|
The Lough Foyle ferry which is
awaiting Council funding for 2011. |
Cllr Martin Farren said
the ferry funding should come from central
Government. He said local businesses paid their
rates every year and should be able to expect that
the ferry will be in place to bring tourists to
them. Local area chairman, Cllr Mickey Doherty said
a damaging message was going out year after year
that left tourists wondering whether or not the
ferry was operating.
Cllr John Ryan said he clearly remembered a Council
budget decision made late last year that money was
to be “ring-fenced” for the Lough Foyle ferry and
Carrickfinn Airport. He said the matter had to be
“clarified immediately” because the loss of a ferry
service would have a “detrimental effect on an
already decimated tourism industry”.
Buncrana Mayor, Michael Grant, called for the ferry
to be funded two to three years in advance. He said
the company needed the certainty to allow it to
adequately market its product. “Tourism providers
are in limbo until June and they deserve a better
service and they deserve to know the ferry will be
running,” said Cllr Grant. Cllr Rena Donaghey said
there was “frustration on both sides”. |
|
