DONEGAL TD and Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Finance, Deputy Pearse Doherty, has questioned the Minister for Rural and Community Development on the failure to deliver a new ferry to service Tory island.
The Minister for Rural and Community Development agreed to visit Magheraroarty pier later in the summer and meet with Deputy Doherty to discuss the matter further.
Teachta Doherty said: “It was a commitment that was given by the government in 2018 that a new ferry would be provided. It was supposed to be delivered within three years.
“There is no ferry and no plans for a ferry coming anytime soon. Now, there is a condition saying that it is attached to a pier. This should never have been the case. There are ferries going in and out of Magheraroarty Pier all the time.
“you need to deliver on the commitment. It’s eight years on and that ferry is nowhere to be seen.
“It’s nowhere in the planning stages. It’s nowhere in the design stages.”
Deputy Doherty stressed that issues around Magheraroarty pier are completely separate to Tory.
“And what we heard from your predecessor was that now ‘we aren’t actually moving ahead with that at the minute. We are still committed to it, but the reason we aren’t moving ahead with it is because we have to do work at Magheraroarty’.
“The point I’m making to you is that Magheraroarty is completely separate. The ferry service that operates, that you have outlined to the Dáil there, operates from Magheraroarty. A brand new state-of-the-art ferry can also operate from there.
“I want to ask you, is your department committed to the proposal you put to the island in 2018 to deliver that and will you uncouple it with Magheraroarty and deliver on this project?
“I also welcome the commitment that the Minister has given to come to Donegal and meet with representatives of the community in Tory Island and myself to discuss the matter further.”
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