“Freeze Rathlin ferry handover” Says .Unionist M.E.P.

 A statement issued by MEP Jim Allister today.

Freeze Rathlin ferry handover

25 June 2008Traditional Unionist MEP Jim Allister has said DRD should freeze the handover of the Rathlin to Ballycastle ferry service to its proposed new operator, Ciaran O’Driscoll pending the outcome of a Northern Ireland Audit Office Investigation.The MEP commented“New revelations about deficiencies in the tendering process for a new ferry operator for the Rathlin service continue to come to light on an almost daily basis. Last Friday, I understand that one of the vessels to be used by the new operator, the MV True Light failed a crucial safety test. Indeed, I am concerned that Ciaran O’Driscoll’s company has yet to have an approved safety management plan in place, despite being just days away from the proposed handover, of 1st July.”“Deficiencies in the ferry service being operated at Cape Clear in the Republic of Ireland by Ciaran O’Driscoll are well documented. My primary concern is to ensure that the Rathlin ferry service will not suffer in similar terms. While a robust Government tendering exercise should have been an appropriate safeguard, I have my own serious reservations about the tender process itself.”“Until we have confirmation from the NI Audit Office, that all aspects of the tendering process were above board, and carried out without undue political influence, and from the MCA that all safety considerations have been met, I believe the service should remain with its current operator. I have intimated this in a letter to the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Regional Development.Safety and efficiency must be the primary concern for the award of any public contract. For these reasons, it would be foolish to rush into an irreversible step at this time.”ENDS     

 

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ms to be irrevocable, as we have on Cape Clear.   It is understandable that Civil Servants and Ministers may not like to lose face, but as yet, this country’s culture has not demanded ritual suicide for a loss of face.  

The good advice “if you are in a hole stop digging” doesn’t seem to be listened to, down here, perhaps clearer heads will prevail in the North and perhaps there is, as yet, less at stake for those who have backed this contract’ award.

We have seen maintenance standards, crew numbers and their conditions of work, decline, and there have been three fines imposed for contract breaches in fifteen months. 

I appreciate that the operator has maintained that he has not been fined, but only had “subsidy withheld” but a rotten fish by any other name still stinks.

Perhaps in this interesting use of the English language lies the solution to the ferry contract problems for Ireland’s most northerly and southerly islands.   If it is too difficult for the contract to be withdrawn maybe a “Total Witholding of Subsidy” wouldn’t mortify the official soul quite so much?

Those of us who live in the southern part of the operator’s would-be empire, were glad to hear that despite the sudden snap impounding of the Naomh Ciaran, the contracted ferry for our route, ten days or so ago, , the boat passed the stability test, which was necessitated by the operator adding a new crane to the ferry, after the annual survey and certification, without notifying the appropriate authority.   Perhaps the operator was not aware of the legal requirement for the Marine Survey Office to be informed of substantial changes to the boat, or surely he would not have changed the equipment in this way, giving the appearance of attempting to pull the wool over the eyes of the Dept of Transport.

It is though gratifying to note that the opportunity of the four day impoundment was taken to add an additional step to the ladder used to access the upper deck and wheelhouse, protecting the hydraulics of the new crane from being damaged by the crew, whilst accessing that area of the boat, and reducing the chance of a crew-member tripping and falling head first to the lower deck.

It is though, still a matter of some remark, that the crane operative is expected to work without benefit of a rail between himself and the sea and that, since the new equipment installation, the crane passes over the operator’s head.

It is understood that incredulity was expressed at sudden massive price rises in fares to Rathlin, published in recent publicity literature for the service about to be provided by The Cape Clear holiday house company which runs our lifeline services, and which means to run the northern one.   This is in fact in line with the apparent policy here. 

The Dept. of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, in what it believes to be its wisdom, incorporated a list of maximum prices into the contract for Cape Clear.   These were standardised on those for the Aran Islands.   The uncharitable would question the validity of the comparison, since there are many differences in the position, both geographical, political, and in terms of the way cargo and passengers are carried, but in numerous cases the prices for cargo, quoted on the Naomh Ciaran dedicated website, have been in excess of the maximums in the contract.   There has been a welcome reduction in some of these recently, but in some cases not sufficient to bring them in line.

The tourist fares received a sudden hike a few weeks back.   With a couple of days Negative Notice, the return fare rose by 25% and the single by a little over 70%.  

The arrival of the new standby vessel for Cape Clear, specified in the contract, is now very nearly six months overdue.   There is speculation that this may be connected with the failure to drawdown a Sea Fish Board (BIM) marine tourism grant for this vessel.   The grant had clauses attached, which, amongst other conditions, required that the vessel to which it was to be applied, would be for sea watching tourism and not for use as a ferry, and its owner had asserted that he had given up a career in fishing to convert to tourism.   This would have been very difficult to substantiate, within the normally understood parameters of the term “Truth”.

The personelle, responsible for this contract, within  the relevant Dept. of government were made aware of the situation, but felt that it was of no concern to them.   They now assure us that the boat will appear before the end of September.

It is understood that attempts are being made in the North to alert relevant officials and politicians to possible irregularities and the operators track record at this end of the island of Ireland.

Nelson’s column may have been demolished in Dublin, but it seems that “Blind eye” political/administrative practices, so famously used by that great British seaman, are very much part of the repertoire of government in the Republic.   Perhaps their adoption in the North gives a whole new meaning to Cross-border Co-operation.

The people of Rathlin and those trying to help them, have our sympathy and support, in particular the crew of the existing boat on that run.   We understand that there is an intention to worsen their terms of service and pension rights and to remove the better qualified crew members in favour of less qualified and of course cheaper workers.    

The question must be asked, North and South, what is to be gained of such value that it justifies the promotion of lower standards, fewer and poorer jobs, and the engendering of fear and conflict within these small island communities.