Is the Minister aware that there are serious redundancies threatened in Killybegs and that men are now almost on notice? Is he also aware that two years ago there were 156 people working there and that this week there are 114? When he took up office in 1977, did the Minister not guarantee publicly in Killybegs that there would be no redundancies?

I agree that there is an overmanning problem in Killybegs. We must run our boatyards reasonably efficiently. There is no point in losing substantial moneys on them. Negotiations are taking place with the trade unions concerned on that aspect. At present there are five fishermen from Killybegs with Bord Iascaigh Mhara negotiating the purchase of five 150 ft. boats to go right out to the 200-mile limit to deal with new forms of fishing.

Are these steel boats?

They are. This is one of the problems of Killybegs in that the large timber boats they construct there are not wanted by the fisherman for any deep water trawling today. He wants a steel boat.

I support the Minister in his efforts to find work for these men but, when he says there are five people who are going to commission boats, is this a sign that there will be no redundancies and that his statement of 1977 still stands?

It is not in relation to that at all, because what the fisherman wants at present is a type of steel boat which can be manufactured at other boatyards. The boatyard in Killybegs is primarily geared to timber constructed boats. That is where the problem is at the moment.

Is the Minister aware that one fisherman who sought a quotation from Killybegs boatyard five months ago to build a 110 ft. boat has not yet received the quotation?

I would like to have details of that.