Fresh Bid To Rescue Sinking Border Ferry

A struggling cross-border ferry service is this week the focus of a new rescue attempt.

As financial problems threaten to swamp the Foyle Ferry, local councillors - all members of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) - are attempting to throw a lifeline to the ailing cross-border ferry.

Michael Carten, Michael Coyle and Gerry Mullan have collected hundreds of signatures of support on both sides of the international ferry route.

A joint statement said: "The service is critical to the development of tourism on both sides of the border and the 'ducking and diving' has to stop."

The ferry, which was launched eight years ago, carries passengers and vehicles between Magilligan in Co Londonderry and Greencastle, Co Donegal.

A few months ago, the Irish government ruled out providing any money to maintain the ferry, which had continuing losses.

Last year, losses of €56,000 were sustained, with estimates that it could lose nearly €224,000 this year.

At that time, the SDLP said their intention was to rescue the service and now the three councillors have stepped up the pace of the campaign.

According to SDLP representatives, the project is a "national responsibility" and they called on the NI Assembly and the Dáil to stop behaving in a 'partitionist fashion' and jointly fund the ferry.

The East Derry SDLP Assembly Member John Dallat has also supported the campaign.

"There can be no reason why Donegal and Limavady councils cannot provide funding," he said.

He said that the party will continue working in this issue, which SDLP Leader Mark Durkan has also raised with the Irish Republic's Finance Minister, Brian Lenihan, and Senator Cecelia Keaveny in Dublin, while local councillors are following-up the issue locally.

However, back in February this year, Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy, who is the Stormont Minister for Regional Development, said replacement funding "was not possible" because the ferry runs between two jurisdictions and also government budgets were so tight.

The Lough Foyle Ferry Company used to receive an annual subsidy, which has now run out.

"I do recognise the importance of the ferry service in the local area and, despite the limitations of my own department, I think that at the very least there is a need for interested parties to explore more fully whether there are any options available which might help the service," he said, at the time.

But there was further hope for the service in May this year, when a ruling was made that it would no longer be designated as an 'international service'.

This removed what had been described as an "unnecessary security regime" which placed a huge financial burden on the authorities.

See: Foyle Ferry Finance Bid Fails

See: Cross-Border Ferry Thrown Lifeline

(CL/BMcC)