Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

145. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the environmental consequences that are expected now that boat permits have been increased from two to 15 for landings on Skellig Michael; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21224/17]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The number of boats plying for the business to bring visitors to Skellig Michael has varied considerably over the years. At peak and prior to the OPW’s intervention in the early 1990’s when it moved to regulate the activity, there were up to 25 boats operating. This was considered to be unsustainable on conservation grounds and a system of restrictions on permits was introduced in 1995. With the agreement of the Boatmen at that time, the number of permits was fixed at the number then plying (19) on the understanding that this would be allowed to reduce over time through natural wastage to 15, which, it was judged, is a sustainable level. This limit has been determined by a professional Carrying Capacity Studycarried out in 2012 / 13 which validated the approach and confirmed that its appropriateness, subject to close management of the regime of visitor flows on the island. This level of boat permits (which equates to a maximum of 180 visitors per day) is not considered an unsustainable load on the island, particularly when it is considered that typically, 30 / 40% of sail days are lost through bad weather off the south-west coast.

In the years after 1994, the number of permits issued each year reduced to a point where, at the end of the 2015 season, there were 13 boats regularly operating. Following open competitions held in 2016 and again this year, a total of 15 permits will be in place for the coming 2017 season, restoring the number of permitted boats to the optimum level.