Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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1119. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the details of his Department's contribution to the new funding arrangements for the Commissioners of Irish Lights, who perform the essential service of providing vital aids for navigation in Ireland's territorial waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41845/14]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department has been making a contribution towards the operating costs of the Commissioners  of Irish Lights since 1985.  Those costs are also funded by light dues paid by vessels as part of a single operating system for light dues between Ireland and the United Kingdom.  A recent joint Ireland-UK review of the light dues system has resulted in an agreement to maintain the single light dues operational area and to improve the collection and enforcement system for light dues, for a trial period up to March 2018.  As part of my commitment to maritime safety, my Department will continue to contribute towards CIL’s costs, and that contribution for their financial year April 2015 to March 2016 is likely to be in the region of €7.5m.