asked the Minister for Communications if the Government will investigate the free port possibilities of a joint South-North operation in the international waters of Carlingford Lough, in the wake of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Carlingford Lough Free Port Potential.
6.
The 1985 Free Ports Bill, which is at present before the Dáil is an enabling measure permitting the establishment of free ports in any area of the State. The immediate purpose of the Bill is to enable the establishment of a free port at Ringaskiddy, County Cork. There are no plans at present for any further free ports.
Does the Minister agree that Border areas on both sides could benefit considerably by such a venture? Does he agree that in view of the success of the Anglo-Irish Agreement such a joint North-South operation would benefit considerably from EC participation?
I acknowledge that it would be useful to take on as many cross-Border projects as possible in order to build on the Anglo-Irish Agreement. I do not rule out the possibility of such a project in the future, but we have decided to have one free port, at Ringaskiddy. Obviously, if we had a multiplicity of free ports their value would be diminished by having too many of them. If other areas are interested in free port status they should wait for the enactment of general legislation and then make applications to the Department. I do not think that any more free ports will be nominated in the immediate future. Before a free port is nominated a very strong case for it would have to be made.
Is the Minister aware that the North-East Regional Development Organisation are interested in the development of Greenore as the next free port and that those with responsibility for road building in the area are anxious that the Dundalk-Longford road be developed to serve that area of County Louth for development? Is the Minister aware that the Social and Economic Committee of the EC argued strongly and gave specific guidelines about this area being developed in the interests of those on both sides of the Border?
I have no doubt that the North-East Regional Development Organisation are doing their job to promote that general area. Every region sees itself as ideally situated and comes up with all sorts of ideas about port development, with the result that we are one of the most port-conscious countries in the world. We have an enormous number of ports compared with our population and our trade. They are costly items to maintain, to develop and to build. There is a great deal of rivalry between adjacent ports, a great deal of competition for scarce resources and, very often, grandiose plans for development of ports which cannot be justified on economic grounds.
Is the Minister aware that the Border region of County Louth has the highest unemployment rate in the country? Does he accept that Dundalk, in particular, has borne the brunt of the Ulster troubles in the last 17 years? Does he agree that no Government have made any compensatory gestures towards that region? Because Greenore is ideally situated as a deep sea port——
As the Deputy knows, I visited Dundalk recently and I am well aware of the problems there. I cannot accept that Dundalk has the highest unemployment rate in the country. I invite Deputy McGahon to visit some parts of my constituency in working class Dublin where the levels of unemployment and deprivation are much greater than in any town.
Has the Minister read a report done on that Border region? If the Forum report and the accord are to have any meaning, some action will have to be taken to implement some of the studies that have been approved at all levels.
I do not rule out the region. When the general free port legislation is enacted I would not rule out the authorities at ports and airports making representations. I would not want to raise expectations. Let us see how Ringaskiddy works out in practice before we nominate any others.