asked the Minister for Communications if he will make a statement on his plans for the development of the deep water facility at Ringaskiddy.

As the Deputy is aware, the Minister for Finance announced in his Financial Statement on 25 January 1984 that the Government have decided to provide financial assistance to Cork Harbour Commissioners for the construction of a deepwater berth at Ringaskiddy. A provision of £2 million is being made in 1984 and work on the project will commence in the near future.

It is expected that the project, which was strongly supported by the IDA, will take about two years to complete at a total estimated cost of about £9.4 million at today's prices. This will be fully funded by the Exchequer. It is expected that 100 people will be employed during the construction period.

Would the Minister outline for the House what specifically the £2 million will be spent on in 1984?

I do not have that information but as the Deputy knows, in any construction project of this nature there are significant starting up costs but the funds we have made available are adequate to get the project going this year and the bigger part of the expenditure will fall to be paid next year.

Would the Minister like to say how much of a delay was caused by the withdrawal of the £1.5 million I provided in last year's capital budget? Will the £2 million allocated this year make up for that delay?

The Deputy was wrong when he said the figure was £1.5 million; he provided £1 million in the Estimate, which we had to cut out last year because of financial pressures. Nobody regrets more than I that there has been a delay and I am very glad that we have been able to provide money this year.

It took a long time to squeeze this money out of the Government.

This time last year Deputy Wilson and Deputy Gene Fitzgerald raised similar questions about this project and I said that as soon as the financial situation allowed, we would try to find the money for this project, and I am very glad that we have done so.

The Gaeltacht people would find it hard to reconcile that statement with what the Minister for the Gaeltacht said.

In view of the reference to the IDA — I presume the Minister was taking into account the large IDA development that had been planned near Ringaskiddy — is the Minister saying there was financial support from the IDA for this project as well?

No. As I said in my reply, the entire £9.4 million at today's prices will be funded directly from the Exchequer.