Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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212. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to address the imbalance in ferry subsidies on islands (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40533/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department invites requests for tenders for each of the subsidised transport services to the islands. When preparing the tender documentation, consideration is given to the requirements of the island communities – which is established through prior consultation - and to the budgets available to the Department to support these services.

The nature of the service being tendered for varies from island to island, contingent on a range of variables including distance from the mainland, services available on the island, mainland transport requirements, etc.

The subsidy provided to any of the ferry operators is ultimately influenced by the tenders received, having regard to the reasonableness of their costs. Tenderers are required to set out the costs associated with the proposed services and calculate the subsidy they feel is required to provide the service in question. Costs included by tenderers include those associated with fuel, vessel and crew costs.

I would also point out that in the case of some of the islands referenced by the Deputy, not all of the sailings provided by operators are subsidised by the State.