Ferry Services At Ballycastle

EDM number 896 in 1993-94, proposed by Brian Wilson on 17/03/1994.

That this House congratulates the honourable Member for North Antrim on drawing its attention to the near tragedy involving 19 schoolchildren from Rathlin Isle, resulting from the inadequacy of ferry and harbour facilities; supports the people of Rathlin Isle in their desire for a safe, modern ferry service; notes the unique qualifications of Caledonian MacBrayne to provide such a service; further notes that the provision of a linkspan at Ballycastle would open up the possibility of Caledonian MacBrayne also providing a service linking it with Campbeltown and Ardrossan, to the great benefit of all these ports; recalls that these issues were discussed at a meeting arranged by the honourable Member for Cunninghame North between the former Northern Ireland Office Minister, the honourable Member of North Wiltshire, and the managing director of Caledonian MacBrayne, Mr Colin Paterson, in 1991; further recalls with appreciation the positive response of that honourable Member to the prospect of Caledonian MacBrayne's involvement both in providing Rathlin with a service and in opening up a Ballycastle link with Scotland; deeply regrets that all these plans have stagnated since the General Election, with funding unavailable for the infrastructure which they require; expresses regret that the United Kingdom government is not prepared to accord the basic means of survival to a hardworking island community which, if it were in Scotland, would have had a proper, safe ferry service years ago; and calls on the Northern Ireland Office to enter immediate discussions with Caledonian MacBrayne with a view to achieving the twin goals of a modern ferry service for Rathlin Isle and a new ferry link between Ballycastle, Campbeltown and Ardrossan.

This motion has been signed by a total of 30 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.