Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 355: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason his Department has not put out a tender for the contract to provide a ferry service from Baltimore to Sherkin Island in County Cork in view of the fact that the current five year contract runs out at the end of October 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26350/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I can confirm that the Department are committed to the maintenance of a subsidised ferry service on this route. My Department has a three-year contract in place for the period 1 November 2004 to 31 October 2007 for the provision of a passenger ferry service between Sherkin Island and the mainland.

Officials of my Department are currently in discussion with the operating company, Carbery Isle Ferries Ltd, regarding an extension of the contract for the provision of this service. The decision to open these discussions was taken with a view to securing administrative efficiencies and in the context of the limited number of service providers available in this sector. It should be noted that only one tender was received in response to the previous tender competition for this particular service.