Mr. Enda Conneely:

I am familiar with the situation in the Aran Islands. We either land to buyers in Doolin or Rossaveal. Sometimes we can put stuff on to the boats in Rossaveal, mainly crab and lobster. There is a big tourism industry there in the summer that could be serviced by the local small fleet. It used to do so but the fleet has now been pushed away from the pier, over to the slipway, and the facilities are not there. We have said all along that when the RNLI moves in we will all help. Everyone helps in that way. That is not the problem; the problem is the infrastructure. We never have a problem with anyone in the RNLI, the Garda or anyone else. When we call them, they do their best and they will come.

We do have a problem, however, with the State agencies and county councils. They must have a special drawer containing excuses, because they have 65 different reasons they cannot do something, as opposed to one reason they can. If the RNLI acted like that, its members would say it is misty out and they will not go out tonight. That is not what we need. We set out the target in the recommendation from the committee in 2014. We have county councils, the Department of the marine and the Department of defence and we need to have one agency to make them do something.

Deputy Mac Lochlainn made a point about windfall taxes. Usually, what happens when things collapse is that Governments move in and build infrastructure while they can. It creates employment during the downtimes, and, when we start to move ahead it will be there for people in the future to work with. There are basic things that could be done. Pontoons would be handy at some of the piers. They are there in most places in Europe and the United States. We do not have navigation lights in some areas. If the committee could do anything, it should push forward the recommendations from 2014 and get somebody to say they will build A, B and C.

It is interesting that Ranagh Pier on Arranmore, where the RNLI was, is on the list as requiring urgent work done. Mr. Bonner may have something to add.