Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Nov 1968

Vol. 237 No. 1

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - B & I Freight Plan.

10.

Mr. Mullen

asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he is aware of the grave anxiety caused by the recent outline plan of the B & I Steampacket Company under which 350 workers will become redundant in Dublin and Cork; and if he will undertake to request the company to desist from pursuing its stated policy on containerisation pending (1) a comprehensive examination of the impact which such a scheme would have on employment and services in the regions mentioned and (2) full consultation with the representatives of all affected parties.

11.

Mr. Mullen

asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he approved the British and Irish Steampacket Company's recently announced plans to centralise its operations in Dublin, to terminate its freight services from Cork and to make 450 workers in those two cities redundant; if so, when approval was given; and when he decided to reconsider the matter.

12.

Mr. Mullen

asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will outline the terms imposed on the British and Irish Steampacket Company to defer its recently announced decision for its future freight operations.

Mr. Childers

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 11 and 12 together.

I have not approved the recently announced B & I freight plan which was decided upon and announced by the Board of the Company pursuant to their statutory powers and their mandate to operate on sound commercial lines without State subsidy. In view of the public concern about the impact of the plan on the port of Cork and the effects on employment there, I have asked the board to defer its implementation further to enable me to examine it fully in the light of the representations of the interests affected. Until that examination has been completed, I am not in a position to make a further statement.

The rapidly-growing impact of the container revolution on cross-channel trade has also given rise to redundancy problems at Dublin port. These problems were the subject of the Murphy Report published last June which was commissioned by the three principal cross-channel shipping companies including the B & I. I am informed that negotiations with the trade unions on the basis of the recommendations in this report will commence shortly.

I am informed by the B & I that negotiations with the trade unions on the redundancy of dockers and other personnel at Cork are also due to commence shortly.

Mr. Corish

Will the Minister say how long this matter has been under consideration by the B & I Board?

Mr. Childers

The general matter has been under consideration for a considerable time.

Mr. Corish

What is "a considerable time"—years?

Mr. Childers

They may have been planning this inevitable revolution in the livestock trade since 1966 but, of course, the details had to be worked out and, in the meantime, the container traffic revolution has moved much faster than anybody possibly could have predicted at the time. There is a revolution involving mechanical handling of traffic taking place all over the world, including Great Britain. It is a source of great disquiet for those concerned with labour conditions at the ports. Labour has become redundant because of the revolutionary changes in the handling of goods. If B & I did not move with the trend they would be out of business because British Railways have engaged in a colossal plan. A far-reaching change has taken place.

Mr. Corish

Would the Minister say for how long he has known that this matter was under consideration by the B & I Board—the transfer of this traffic from Cork to Dublin?

Mr. Childers

Only for a short time because it was the last leg of a completely inclusive plan. I have known it for only a short time. I wish to be quite frank and I must say that B & I could have presented their case in regard to Cork in a much better manner: they could have engaged in better public relations with the people of Cork in this matter. However, they have shown foresight in the Dublin end. They have engaged in market research and have had collaboration with their customers. Great changes have taken place at Dublin port in relation to the new vessels which B & I are acquiring; and their relations with the trade unions, as the Deputy knows, have been satisfactory. On this occasion, they judged wrongly the temper of the people of Cork in regard to an announcement of this kind which involves serious changes in the pattern of Cork harbour operations. Nevertheless, here we have an example of democracy: Deputies have protested, I am taking the matter up and there have been representations of every kind. The result is that there has been a postponement. Therefore, there is now no question of B & I having imposed the system on Cork without any consultation.

Mr. Corish

Does not this show how far away the Board of B & I have been from the Minister or vice versa? Is it not late now for the Minister to say he has asked the B & I Board to defer this transfer pending his investigation?

Mr. Childers

On the contrary, one of the difficulties B & I have to face in Cork, well known to the people there, is the fact that Waterford is becoming more and more the natural port for container traffic in the southeastern part of the country. Traffic had already been taken, before B & I made any decision, by many Cork traders to use the Waterford services to the detriment of B & I. This operation has been growing continuously. As I have said, the whole pattern of traffic is changing. There are containers now running from Limerick, Galway and other places all over the country to the east because it offers the cheapest method of transport. Accordingly, there was nothing sensational in this device of organising the Cork-Dublin liner-train service which, incidentally, will employ the same number of people, as if they continued to operate the Cork/Liverpool service, and, therefore, it was a final contribution to an entire programme. They did not take sufficient account of what the feeling in Cork would be until the people of Cork would have an opportunity of examining the whole thing. I criticised the Chairman for not so doing.

Mr. Corish

The Minister should have told the Chairman that he should not have made a decision until he had consulted the two most important sectors, the workers and the container people.

Mr. Childers

Any Cork Deputy will realise that the Chairman, through his connection with Cork, has played a part in the development of Cork harbour and, therefore, he might on this occasion have thought very clearly ahead of this reaction. As a Cork man he showed every understanding in relation to Cork Harbour.

Mr. Mullen

In regard to his expressed knowledge of the containerisation and that this plan was in preparation, surely the Minister was aware that there were discussions, for example, between CIE and the B & I? What steps did the Minister take to ensure that the B & I would not drop the bombshell, which they did, and why did the Minister await the announcement before looking after the workers' interests?

Mr. Childers

Up to now the B & I have not dropped any bombshell. In State companies when they make plans they make them in advance. A great deal of detail was involved and this was part of the general plan. The answer to the Deputy is that the decision is now subject to review. The answer to the Deputy's further inquiry is that the B & I have not engaged in useless capital expenditure. If they had decided to erect an elaborate structure with a wastage of capital expenditure then the Deputy would be right. But now their plans can be considered between now and April next year.

Mr. Mullen

I wish to ascertain, having regard to the Minister's knowledge of the situation, why did he await the B & I chairman's announcement? Why did he not make sure that this bombshell would not have been dropped, and not have embarrassed the Taoiseach in his own constituency?

Mr. M. O'Leary

Stabbing the Taoiseach in the back.

Mr. L'Estrange

Blaney stabbed him in the back last week.