Ministers ignored advice and funded marina projects

FOUR marina projects promised almost €6 million in grants in the 2000 Budget received ministerial approval against civil servants’ advice and despite glaring deficiencies in the promoters’ plans.

The Controller and Auditor General yesterday described the handling of all four projects as “unorthodox”.

In one case, then Minister for the Marine Frank Fahey informed then Minister for Justice John O’Donoghue that he was approving €2.5m in grant aid - 75% of the total cost - for a marina in Mr O’Donoghue’s home town of Caherciveen despite officials’ warnings that the project was not even eligible for grant assistance.