Committee Reports::Report - Appropriation Accounts 1970 - 1971::28 February, 1974::Appendix


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APPENDIX 4.

SLIGO HARBOUR—DREDGING EQUIPMENT

AN CLÉIREACH,

AN COISTE UM CHUNTAIS PHOIBLÍ.

During the proceedings of the Committee on 5th July, 1973, I undertook to furnish a note of the up-to-date position in relation to Sligo harbour.

A memo giving the required information is attached.

D. Ó RIORDÁIN,

Accounting Officer,

Department of Transport and Power.

Grant for Dredging Equipment for Sligo Harbour

Original Grant

In 1963 the Government approved a State grant of £15,000 for Sligo harbour for the purchase of a suction dredger. The Harbour Commissioners were unable to obtain a satisfactory performance guarantee in respect of the proposed equipment. In 1964 on the advice of their Consulting Engineers they proposed to purchase a secondhand grab dredger and the Department asked them to submit full technical information. A year later they informed the Department that they wished to acquire a new grab dredger—estimated to cost £35,000 excluding professional fees—and submitted contract documents. At that stage and because of the many changes in proposals, the Office of Public Works suggested a survey of the berths and turning areas at Sligo in order to determine the most efficient system of dredging for the port. Following further alternative proposals by them, the Harbour Commissioners eventually carried out the survey in 1967. In the light of this survey, OPW recommended that the equipment which the Harbour Commissioners proposed to buy appeared suitable but estimated that the cost would be £40,000 not £35,000.

Increased Grant

Discussions followed with the Harbour Commissioners and at a meeting in April, 1968 the recommendation of the Office of Public Works was agreed in principle with the Commissioners, subject to the receipt of necessary supporting information regarding harbour finances etc. The approval of the Minister for Finance to a full cost grant of £44,000 (including professional fees) was obtained in August, 1968.

Payments of Grants

Instalments of grants were paid as follows:—

Date of Payment			Amount
17th August, 1965	..	..	£864*
5th September, 1969	..	..	£9,096
31st October, 1969	..	..	£3,360
19th June, 1970	..	..	£9,096
23rd September, 1970	..	..	£1,511.15
26th November, 1970	..	..	£10,290
15th February, 1971	..	..	£1,142
12th March, 1971	..	..	£4,456
24th May, 1971	..	..	£3,780
15th June, 1971	..	..	£404.85
				£44,000

There was no avoidable delay in making these payments.

Application for Increased Grant

On 4th March, 1971 the Harbour Commissioners said that the final cost of the equipment would be £49,601 and applied for an increase in the approved grant of £5,601. The increase was refused on the grounds that—

(i) the Harbour Commissioners had a surplus on operations for 1968 and 1969 of £2,796 and £5,093 respectively;

(ii) the fact that it had already been indicated on a number of occasions to the Commissioners that no increase in the State grant would be given;

(iii) the fact that the Department’s Vote for harbours for 1971/72 was already fully committed.

*This was in respect of Consulting Engineers fees and was paid from the original State grant of £15,000.