§ Mr. FIELDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether a dredger is lying idle in Dundalk and another in Kingstown; whether he is aware that certain fishing harbours on the Irish coast are almost unapproachable except at very high tides owing to the sand accumulating at the entrances; whether he will cause inquiry to be made respecting this condition of affairs; and whether the idle dredgers will be utilised and arrangements made to have a second dredger permanently available for clearing the entrances to Irish fishing harbours?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe two dredgers belonging to the Department of Agriculture536W are at present at Dundalk under repair, but there is another dredger in Dundalk belonging to the Harbour Commissioners. I am informed that the entrance to Balbriggan Harbour appears to be badly silted, causing inconvenience to local traffic, and that the Department of Agriculture are in communication with the Dublin Port and Docks Board as regards the clearing of the entrance before the commencement of the herring fishing season. The Department are not aware of any other fishing harbour at which dredging is just now a matter of urgency. There are two dredgers at Kingstown belonging to the Commissioners of Public Works, and they are fully employed and have been for some time past.