§ MR. HALPINTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether a subsidy can be renewed for the Lower Shannon steamer tourist service between Foynes, Tarbert, and Kilrush.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The hon. Member is mistaken in thinking that a steamer service to Foynes was subsidised. The Tarbert and Kilrush steamer service formed part of the Lower Shannon coach and steamer services which were established on 1st June, 1897, for a term of seven years, the other services being a coach service from Listowel to Tarbert, and a coach service from Enistymon to Ballyvaughan. The objects of these services were to encourage tourist traffic by providing a new through tourist route near the coast from Killarney to Galway, and to test the necessity of providing railways to Tarbert and Ballyvaughan respectively. The result was most disappointing. The losses on the services for the full subsidised period were, respectively, Listowel to Tarbert, £4,229; Tarbert to Kilrush, £3,728; Enistymon to Ballyvaughan, £1,850. The expenditure on the Tarbert and Kilrush services for the full term was £4,264, inclusive of subsidy amounting to £3,660, while the receipts were only £536. The services were withdrawn on the 31st May, 1904, and there is nothing before me to show that the Government would be justified in renewing the subsidies.