Cleanup costs and recovery
The Minister put Department oil-removal costs at about £564,000 and Environment Department and local-authority clean-up costs at about £991,000; the iron ore was left aboard after testing. He said the claim, including Cork County Council’s costs, had gone to insurers and would be pursued.
asked the Minister for the Marine the total cost of removing oil from the Kowloon Bridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
10.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for the Marine the total cost of the removal of oil and cargo from the Kowloon Bridge; if all of the iron ore has been removed from the vessel; the total cost of the clean-up operation arising from the incident; the amount of the total cost which has been recovered from the owners of the vessel; the steps, if any, which are being taken to recover outstanding money from the owners; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
15.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for the Marine the action, if any, which has been taken against the legal owners of the Kowloon Bridge with a view to obtaining compensation for the environmental damage inflicted on the Irish environment as a result of the abandonment and subsequent sinking of the vessel; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
67.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for the Marine the total cost to the State of the repair and cleaning work which has been carried out at both national and local level as a result of the environmental damage caused by the sinking of the Kowloon Bridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Comment on this
I propose to take oral Questions Nos. 2, 10, 15, and also written Question No. 67 together.
The total cost to my Department of the oil and paint removal operation and incidental expenditure amounted to approximately £564,000. The cargo of iron ore was not removed from the wreck as analysis of these samples confirmed that the cargo did not pose a threat to the marine environment.
The total cost to the Department of the Environment, which includes local authority expenditure, of the beach clean-up operation and incidental expenditure amounted to approximately £991,000. Costs of other Government Departments involved in the State's response to the environmental threat from the Kowloon Bridge amounted to approximately £188,000. A total compensation claim of £1.743 million has been presented to the insurers and I would hope that the insurers will agree to pay this sum at an early date. If they do not, court proceedings will be commenced against them.
Comment on this
Will the Minister say whether Cork County Council have been compensated for any loss incurred as a result of the clean-up operation? The Taoiseach visited west Cork on 23 March 1987 and said that there would be no loss to the State. Why has it taken this length of time to recover this very substantial loss to the State?