asked the Minister for Transport and Power what steps he is taking with regard to the unification of the port authorities on the Shannon.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Shannon Port Authorities.
22.
The initiative in this matter rests with the harbour authorities concerned. I am prepared to consider any proposals for unification submitted by them but no such proposals have as yet been submitted to me.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary not aware that his Minister received a joint deputation from Limerick Harbour Commissioners and Foynes Harbour Commissioners some three years ago and that it is the prerogative of the Minister to make this necessary unification with one stroke of the pen and that his attitude in this matter is typical, since his general approach to these matters is that he is impeding progress that could be made——
I take very serious exception to the Deputy's statement.
It is absolutely true.
The position is that, arising from the meetings which took place, a committee was set up to examine the overall proposals regarding the suggestion of a joint board representative of the various interests concerned. Nobody would be louder in condemnation of the Minister than Deputy Coughlan if by a stroke of his pen the Minister set up a board the constitution of which did not meet the wishes of the Deputy. As I said in my reply, if we could get a proposal for unification from the various interests concerned down there, there would be no problem at my end in setting up such a unified board. The onus in this case rests with the interests concerned and they are the people who should be talking about it instead of Deputy Coughlan.
It is the prerogative of the Minister to make this order without reference to any committee.
And that is something that would be resented by the Deputy.
Has the Parliamentary Secretary not some reason to anticipate that if the Limerick Port authorities are unified there will be considerable redundancy along the Shannon Estuary?
On the contrary, we already have 260 dock workers in Limerick faced with——
I did not ask the Deputy. I asked the Parliamentary Secretary.
This would be for the development of the whole of Limerick——
Would the Deputy allow the Parliamentary Secretary to answer my supplementary question?
The Deputy knows nothing about Limerick.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary please reply to Deputy MacEntee's question?
Because of the interruptions of Deputy Coughlan I did not quite catch Deputy MacEntee's question.
I have called Question No. 23.
(Interruptions.)
Deputy MacEntee suggested that if the ports were unified there would be more redundancy.
I could not comment on that. I do not know.
Deputy MacEntee seems to know. He should go down to the Front Bench again.
(Interruptions.)
Order. I have called No. 23.