Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 631: To ask the Minister for Transport if funding will be made available for a project (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9674/07]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 632: To ask the Minister for Transport the funding that has been earmarked in respect of regional harbours in County Mayo under the national development plan, giving harbour location, funding purpose, and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9675/07]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 631 and 632 together.

The position in respect of Westport Harbour's Integrated Development Plan, including the proposal to construct a marina, is that a payment of €94,276 was made to the Westport Harbour Commissioners in December 2002, for expenditure incurred on that plan up to that date. The payment was made on the strict condition that there could be no further expectation whatsoever of further funding for the Integrated Development Plan under the Seaports Measure of the National Development Plan 2000-2006.

In 2006, I approved funding of €500,000 to be spent at Westport Harbour on remedial works. This funding was provided against the background of the proposed transfer of the harbour to Mayo County Council, as provided for in the Ports Policy Statement published in 2005.

This amount was not drawn down in 2006 due to the relevant works not being sufficiently advanced. I am reallocating a similar amount for these remedial works from the 2007 budget and my Department will be communicating shortly with Mayo County Council and the harbour commissioners in this regard.