The Jeanie Johnston shipyard is to be put on the market in the next few weeks, it emerged yesterday.
It is hoped to raise £2 million from the sale of the shipyard and its 4.5 acres at Blennerville, near Tralee, Mr Henry Lyons, chairman of the board of the Jeanie Johnston project, said. The property was bought by the project in 1994.
The cancellation of the transatlantic voyage to America this year has serious financial implications for the project and the monies raised by the sale may be used to offset some of the costs arising from the postponement.
Mr Michael Finucane TD, the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), is to raise the Jeanie Johnston situation in private session with the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr John Purcell, today. "As chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, I would have to be concerned. There is a lot of public spending involved," Mr Finucane said.
He had received a large number of telephone calls on the matter.
In all, over £7 million has been committed from public funds. Kerry County Councillor Mr Brendan Cronin, who has consistently opposed the council's underwriting of the Jeanie Johnston, yesterday called for an independent audit into spending on the project.
There is considerable anger in the county at the consistent public funding of the project, while basic health services in the county go under-funded, he said.