§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on improvements to the harbours at Church Bay and at Ballycastle.
§ Mr. NeedhamIn the current financial year Moyle district council, with the aid of grant from the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, has undertaken improvements to the harbours at Church bay, Rathlin and Ballycastle. These works include dredging at Church bay and repairs to Boyd's wall, Ballycastle. In addition hydraulic model testing, which will assist the design work on proposed major improvements at Ballycastle, will shortly be completed.
The Department had hoped to be able to provide substantial grant support to the council over the financial years 1992–93 and 1993–94 for major improvement works to both harbours. In the event it has not proved possible to allocate the necessary resources for this purpose. However the council and the Department are now considering, as an interim measure, the provision of slipways at both harbours which would enable a small roll-on/roll-off vessel to operate the ferry service between the two harbours.