Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)

Does the Minister agree that it would be a good idea to utilise the Jeanie Johnston, a vessel built at considerable expense to taxpayers, as an ideal replacement for the Asgard II for the purposes of sail training schemes? The vessel was built in my area and involved a cross-community initiative whereby young lads from both Protestant and Catholic communities in the Six Counties worked together. It is a beautiful ship with a fantastic historical record in terms of its travels across the Atlantic, during which no lives were lost. It should not be sitting idle in the Dublin docks.

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