A new call has been made to Minister for Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan to step in and solve the Tory Island Fery crisis.
Sinn Féin spokesperson for Irish, Peadar Tóibín TD, has said that Minister Madigan must provide a new ferry for the people of Tory island immediately.
The Department yesterday issued a statement to say that there would not be any change to the new contract that brings in a 40-year-old ferry in April 2018.
Speaking yesterday, Deputy Tóibín said: “Minister McHugh today admitted to some of the women of Tory Island that he had no power as regards the provision of a new ferry for the people of the island. He said that this decision was the responsibility of the Department.
“It was the Minister Joe McHugh who changed the ferry service to Tory Island without consulting with the people to begin with. There was a 25 year old boat that was specially constructed for them. Now there is a 42 year old boat in its place.
“Minister McHugh said that the passage to Tory was unlike that of any other island because of the weather, the quays and the sea. Despite this, the people of the island will have to now rely upon a boat that is over forty years old with which to complete this journey.
“The people of Tory Island are protesting strongly to reverse this decision and there are some households who are saying that they will leave the island if this isn’t done.
“Even though it is mentioned in the National Development Plan that there will be a new ferry available for them, it does not mention when they will be given it.
“Does the same fate await the people of Tory Island and those of the Blasket Islands, Inishark and those other islands which were abandoned last century?
“As Minister McHugh is now denying responsibility as regards the ferry service I am now asking Minister Madigan to provide a new boat for the people of Tory island before the start of April.”
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