Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 287: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the efforts he has made to date in assisting the re-establishment of the Foyle ferry service from Magilligan, County Derry to Greencastle in Inishowen, County Donegal; the future measures and efforts he will make to re-establish the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29371/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I have received representations on this matter, and am considering the issue. It is not the practice of my Department to subsidise shipping routes, nor are there any funds available to my Department for this purpose. The subsidisation of loss-making ferry services across the board would result in significant financial costs to the state, and moreover, could potentially result in other transport providers being disadvantaged. I understand that in the past Donegal County Council under the Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government along with the UK authorities provided some funding for ferry services on Lough Foyle.