Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise a parochial but important issue, and I would like the Leader to get some information for me on the future of Dursey Island cable car. For those who do not know it, Dursey Island is one of the most remote and isolated parts of the country. It was the last place the people who sailed from Cobh saw as they left Ireland on the RMS Titanic before the ill-fated ship hit the iceberg.

A small number of people still live on this island, while many other islanders who moved to the mainland continue to have farms or land on the island. Their only access is the cable car which was built some 35 years ago. We were informed a few days ago that, for insurance reasons, the cable car would be repaired and would not operate for two or three weeks. I am also reliably informed that the cost of upgrading the cable car to make it safe would be in the region of ¤1 million.

The people of the isolated island of Dursey and those who use the cable car daily must receive fair play and fair treatment. We hear about rights for the diaspora and so forth but we must also look after our own people living in remote areas with the threat of being cut off. Dursey Sound, the stretch of water between Dursey Island and the mainland at the end of the Beara Peninsula, is extremely treacherous. While there is a pier, dangerous currents mean it is not safe to make the crossing, especially with animals, for as many as 200 days of the year. I do not wish to be parochial but I believe I must make this appeal on behalf of those who have been fighting this battle for the past two years. Everyone, whether he or she is from Dublin 4, Dursey Island or west Cork, should enjoy the same rights. The people affected have a cloud of uncertainty hanging over them and are seeking nothing more than fair play. They are entitled to access the island and use their lands and houses. The common practice of bringing cattle, sheep and other farm animals back and forth on the cable car is being hindered, which is a form of discrimination against the people of the island. I ask the Leader to consider arranging a debate on this matter or, alternatively, to have the appropriate Minister provide me with a detailed statement on the future of the Dursey Island cable car.