Brits still occupy Free State

[stephenite]

Kind of  - not really Interesting all the same


Calls to review British ownership of lighthouses

By Conor Ryan
THE British Crown still owns and subsidises Irish lighthouses but a review published yesterday called for the urgent renegotiation of the deal.


Under 160-year-old British legislation, Britain controls the Commission for Irish Lights (CIL), and last year paid €11.3 million to help run the service. The unique deal sees Britain employ 190 people in Ireland. It also hands over €29,000 tax to the Revenue Commissioner and pays the bulk of upkeep costs for the country's lighthouses.

Last year, in the House of Lords, Lord Berkley said the deal had left the Irish Government "laughing all the way to the bank".

However, yesterday the British Shipping Minister Jim Fitzpatrick published a review of the CIL's funding. The review team examined who should pay for the service but it said both governments should work out a new deal. "The key next step is for the governments to enter into urgent negotiations in light of [this review]," it said.

Yesterday, Mr Fitzpatrick said the review should form the basis of discussions with Irish Transport Minister Noel Dempsey.

Last year the total cost of the CIL was €38.7m. Under an agreement worked out in 1985, the Irish Government paid €7.5m — the remainder came from shipping fees and contributions from Britain's General Lighthouse Fund.

Recently, the Dáil heard the deal is a unique link surviving from pre-independence laws — rooted in the Dublin Port Act of 1867.

But its continuation has provoked anger in the House of Lords. Last year, Lord Berkley lost patience with British officials for not getting tough with Ireland. "Is it not ironic that 80 years after independence we are still subsidising the lights in the beautiful island of Ireland?

"Are not the Irish Government and the Irish ports laughing all the way to the bank," he said.

Last night, a spokeswoman for Mr Dempsey said he was aware of the report and negotiations between the governments were continuing since March 2007. 

Click here for irishexaminer.com stories before this date

[Billys Boots]

It must be these nasty Brit lights that make us so non-empathetic towards our Northern brethern.

[Zapatista]

With the British Economy built on the slavery and rape of many nations not least Irelands I don't think it's that bad to have them fund the lighthouses.

[Shamrock Shore]

Nobody complains when British helicopters rescue fishermen off the Irish coast or the fact that the lifeboats are similarly tied in with the Brits.

Does Lord Lucan still get money from Westport?

[Tankie]

Nobody complains when British helicopters rescue fishermen off the Irish coast or the fact that the lifeboats are similarly tied in with the Brits.

Does Lord Lucan still get money from Westport?

what does that mean? are you really saying that the Brits should pay for the lights because they are a benifit to them aswell?

[An Lark]

Does Lord Lucan still get money from Westport?

It's Calstebar Shamrock. I think the locals have refused to pay the rents since he disappeared. Not sure of the full story.

[Hardy]

The Brits are getting a good deal it seems to me. If they stop paying for the lights, we should stop paying for their roads.

[passedit]

[Billys Boots]

Reel, reel, reel Hardy!