MEMBERS OF Donegal County Council will meet today to discuss the future of two ferry services in the northwest that are in danger of being curtailed for financial reasons.
Traffic on the Lough Swilly Ferry, which operates from Magilligan in Co Derry to Greencastle in Co Donegal, has halved.
The service began in 2002, with a subvention from Donegal County Council and Limavady Borough Council, and proved so successful that no annual subsidy was required in 2008 and 2009.
However, an unfavourable exchange rate, increased fuel prices, poor weather, a depressed tourism sector and the downturn in the economy contributed to a sharp drop in users.
Its busiest year was 2005/2006 when it carried 106,179 cars and 302,740 passengers. But the latest 12 monthly figures (from June 2009 to June 2010) show the number of cars carried had dropped to 52,669 and passengers were down to 149,455.
In 2009, the two local authorities agreed to provide a €200,000 subvention, but this runs out in March. The operating company, the Lough Foyle Ferry Company, has received over €500,000 in subsidies from Donegal County Council since the service began. An application has been made to the Special EU Programmes Body for funding. Meanwhile, the summer-only Rathmullan-Buncrana ferry service also faces cuts.