Minister for the Islands Joe McHugh is to meet community leaders from Tory this week to discuss proposals to construct a purpose-built ferry.
It follows a decision by his Department to award a new contract for the service to and from the island from next year, with a faster service on a newly-refitted ferry which will have a lift and a new bus service when needed on the mainland.
McHugh said today: “On September 8, I announced that my Department had awarded the contract for the above service to Realt na Maidne Teoranta. The contract will come into effect on 1 April 2018 and will last for five years. Under this contract, a passenger and light cargo ferry service will be provided between Toraigh and Machaire Rabhartaigh on the mainland.
“The contract was awarded following an open tender process, which had been advertised on eTenders in February of this year. Two companies submitted tenders for the service by the advertised deadline, neither of which proposed the provision of a new vessel. Following due consideration, the contract was awarded to Realt na Maidne Teoranta.
“Once in place, I am confident that the new contract will offer an improved service to islanders. The vessel that will come in to operation, the Queen of Aran, offers an improvement in speed, cargo capacity and facilities.
“The vessel is undergoing a refit in advance of coming into service on this route and this includes the installation of a lift, allowing passengers ease of access to both decks. In addition to providing a comprehensive passenger and light cargo service for the island, the new service will provide 4 specific sailings per year to assist with the removal of scrap from the island – an issue that I know has been the subject of concern among the island community.
“Furthermore, a new bus service will be provided to transport passengers between Machaire Rabhartaigh and an Bun Beag, where bad weather requires the vessel to use that harbour.”
Minister McHugh said he will also now work with islanders on future services.
Said the Donegal TD: “My Department is mindful of the challenges faced by small island communities. I am aware that there are particular geographical and maritime challenges relating to the harbour in Machaire Rabhartaigh.
“So in order to address these challenges, my Department has previously carried out research in partnership with both the Scottish and Northern Irish authorities.
“The results of this research, which was funded by the EU, recommended a long term solution to this problem, involving the construction of a new boat for Tory. Due to the latest concerns raised by the island community, I have now asked my officials to revisit these recommendations with a view to examining the feasibility of their implementation in the longer term.
“In the meantime, I am arranging to meet with representatives of the Tory community without delay in order to discuss their concerns.”
As Gaeilge
Ráiteas ó Joe McHugh T.D., Príomh-Aoire an Rialtais agus an tAire Stáit don Ghaeilge, don Ghaeltacht agus do na hOileáin maidir le Seirbhís Paisinéirí agus Lastas Éadrom go Toraigh, 2018-2023
Ar an 08 Meán Fómhair 2017, d’fhógair mé go bhfuil an conradh don tseirbhís thuas bronnta ag mo Roinn ar Réalt na Maidne Teoranta. Tiocfaidh an conradh i bhfeidhm ar an 1 Aibreán 2018 agus mairfidh sé cúig bliana. Faoin chonradh seo, cuirfear seirbhís paisinéirí agus lastas éadrom ar fáil idir Toraigh agus Machaire Rabhartaigh ar an mórthír.
Bronnadh an conradh i ndiaidh próiseas oscailte tairisceana, a bhí fógartha ar eTenders i mí Feabhra na bliana seo. Chuir dhá chomhlacht isteach tairiscintí don tseirbhís faoin spriocdháta a bhí fógartha agus níor mhol ceann ar bith acu sin go gcuirfí soitheach nua ar fáil. I ndiaidh breithniú cuí, bronnadh an conradh ar Realt na Maidne Teoranta.
A luaithe a bheidh sé in áit, tá mé muiníneach go gcuirfidh an conradh nua seirbhís feabhsaithe ar fáil do mhuintir an oileáin. Beidh an soitheach nua a bheidh in úsáid, an Queen of Aran, ábalta seirbhís feabhsaithe a chur ar fáil ó thaobh luais, acmhainn lastais agus áiseanna. Tá athchóiriú á dhéanamh ar an soitheach i láthair na huaire sula mbeidh sé in úsáid ar an bhealach seo agus áiríonn an t-athchóiriú sin ardaitheoir, rud a thabharfaidh deis do phaisinéirí an dá deic a úsáid go furusta. Chomh maith le seirbhís chuimsitheach paisinéirí agus lastas éadrom a chur ar fáil don oileán, cuirfidh an tseirbhís nua 4 sheoladh sonrach ar fáil achan bhliain chun cuidiú le dramhábhar a thógáil den oileán – rud a bhí a déanamh buairt do phobal an oileáin. Ina theannta sin, cuirfear seirbhís nua bus ar fáil chun paisinéirí a iompar idir Machaire Rabharthaigh agus an Bun Beag, nuair a bheidh ar an soitheach an cuan sin a úsáid as siocair na drochaimsire.
Tá mo Roinnse ar an eolas faoi na dúshláin a bhíonn le sárú ag pobail bheaga ar na hoileáin. Tuigim go bhfuil dúshláin faoi leith tíreolaíocha agus mara ag baint le cuan Mhachaire Rabhartaigh. Le aghaidh a thabhairt ar na dúshláin sin, tá taighde déanta ag mo Roinnse roimhe seo i gcomhar le húdaráis na hAlban agus Thuaisceart Éireann. Mhol torthaí an taighde sin, a fuair maoiniú ón AE, réiteach fadtéarmach ar an fhadhb seo, le tógáil soitheach nua. Siocair na himní is déanaí seo atá léirithe ag pobal an oileáin, tá iarrtha agam ar m’oifigigh amharc arís ar na moltaí seo le scrúdú a dhéanamh ar an fhéidearthacht a bhaineann lena gcur i bhfeidhm san fhadtéarma.
Idir an dá linn, tá mé ag déanamh socruithe chun bualadh le hionadaithe ó phobal Thoraigh gan mhoill chun an imní atá orthu a phlé.
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