asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he has reconsidered the creation of a harbour authority at Whiddy Island oil terminal which would result in the collection of £1½ million per annum in harbour dues.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Whiddy Island Terminal.
31.
There has been no change in the circumstances which would warrant reconsideration and the position is still as described in the very full reply I gave to the Deputy on 26th February last year.
The Minister must surely be aware that the Government have got a unanimous request from Cork County Council to have a harbour authority created for Bantry Bay and surely the Minister and the Government, when they made this arrangement with Gulf Oil, must have been aware of the grave danger of oil spillages in the tourist area of Bantry? Surely the least they could do would be to collect one penny per ton on the oil brought into Bantry Bay. That would provide the sum mentioned here by Deputy Donegan. If they had any intention of looking after the people and ensuring that nothing would happen in Bantry harbour they would collect it but they sold the country and the town of Bantry and Bantry Bay to Gulf Oil without getting a penny. It is a shame and a disgrace.
If the Deputy wants again to sabotage economic development, as has already been done by other speakers here earlier on, he should at least not do it in his own particular constituency. In regard to the whole development of Gulf Oil and the possible extension and development that may take place in that area, I think it is more appropriate for a Minister, responsible to this House, to undertake such negotiations and discussions rather than have any intermediary board of any kind.
Would the Minister tell us the name of the Minister who, in fact, sold Bantry Bay out for nothing, when the occasion was and how it happened at Pittsburgh? Would he tell us all about it?
That is a separate question.
The Deputy is circulating in some sort of orbit of his own at the moment.
(Interruptions.)
The Minister was in a lovely orbit when he had to come out the window.
I am appealing to the Minister and the Government, in view of the grave danger there, that they start this immediately and I am sure Gulf Oil would not object to paying a penny per ton which would mean an enormous amount of money for a Bantry harbour authority. Surely they could insist on that and I am sure it would not be difficult to get agreement. I would appeal to him now to consider it.
I have examined fully the Deputy's point and I am very aware of it. All I am saying is that from the point of view of development of the area it is better that I, or whoever is Minister for Transport and Power should deal with it directly rather than have the expense and the needless exercise of establishing an authority when any development that may come can be handled directly by the Government, who are responsible to this House.
Do I understand from the Minister that he and his Department are now negotiating with Gulf Gasoline about this matter or is he even afraid to say that they are negotiating? Is it so confidential that he cannot even say they are doing it?
I will be speaking to the House about this very matter.
When?
In my time.
Will the House be here?