Subsidy for Irish Lights will cease

The statement was rather forcefully made by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport during the meeting of the All Party Maritime & Ports Group which took place earlier this week. The MP added that the action would take place during the term of this parliament.

There has been a long standing controversy since the subject of raising light dues was brought to the media’s attention. Many claim that the way in which navigation aids are funded in the United Kingdom further diminishes United Kingdom ports’ competitiveness, and there have been a number of calls by ship owners and ports to cut the cost to vessels coming into the UK. Others have pointed out that the longstanding subsidy of the Commissioners of Irish Lights, which have responsibility for the waters around both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, is a cost that the UK can no longer bear.

Last summer saw the General Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs) of the UK and Ireland welcoming an official government response to a consultation report which made a number of recommendations to deliver increased operational efficiencies across the three authorities.

The GLAs in turn have said that they have a responsibility to reduce costs, and embrace new technology whilst ensuring the safety needs of the mariner are always paramount. They maintain that sustained savings over recent years have demonstrated their effectiveness, particularly when matched against rises in the Retail Price Index and increased government spending in other areas. The GLAs also point out that they are embarking upon an era of eNavigation development, for which financial stability is vital.