asked the Minister for the Marine when it is intended to set up the Dún Laoghaire harbour authority for Dún Laoghaire harbour, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dún Laoghaire Harbour Authority.
8.
I am having the various options for the future management of Dún Laoghaire harbour, including establishment of a harbour authority under the Harbour Act, 1946, reviewed by my Department at present with a view to the rational and efficient development of the portal and marine facilities in the Dublin Bay area as a whole. I consider such a review essential to enable me to take a decision that will result in the best use of the limited public funds available for harbour development.
Will the Minister tell us the nature of this review, who is conducting the review, the composition of the review board and when the reveiw will be completed? Will the review board encapsulate the harbour authority or what will the terms of reference of the board be?
I wish to refer to the Green Paper on Transport Policy which was published in November 1985 and which gave three options for the future management of Dún Laoghaire. The previous Government, in their document Building on Reality, decided there should be a harbour authority in Dún Laoghaire. In turn, the Minister for Finance advised the Minister for Communications at that time that finance would not be made available for this purpose. Deputy Andrews has been pursuing the question of a harbour authority for Dún Laoghaire. It has been reviewed within the Department and we hope to have recommendations within the next few months.
Is the Minister not aware that the last Government made a Cabinet decision to establish a harbour authority for Dún Laoghaire and the legislation was in the course of preparation in the Department of Communications at the time?
I am aware that the Government made a decision in this regard last year but I am also aware that on 30 October 1986 the Minister for Finance made observations in relation to the harbour authority for Dún Laoghaire. He said he was opposed to the proposal to establish a harbour authority for Dún Laoghaire because the arguments cited by the Minister for Communications in favour of the retention of the existing arrangements were conclusive and showed that existing management arrangements had successfully improved the harbour's commercial operations while at the same time retaining its important amenity characteristics. There was a Government decision taken at that time but it did not have the blessing of, and finance would not be available from, the Department of Finance.
Would the Minister reverse the philosophy of the previous Minister for Finance in relation to the creation of a Dún Laoghaire harbour authority? I would ask the Minister to consider the amenity and commercial elements in the context of a harbour authority. What we require in Dún Laoghaire is a harbour authority encapsulating a marina and a unified car ferry terminal. I believe this would be within the terms of reference of the review body. I was very disappointed to learn from the Minister — and this was the first time I heard it — that the previous Minister for Finance was not in favour of a Dún Laoghaire harbour authority. I am certain the people of Dún Laoghaire will be interested to hear that point of view.
That is a totally misleading statement.
I have taken a particular interest in this since Deputy Andrews let me have copies of the proposed plans for Dún Laoghaire harbour, which were very impressive. I will ask my officials to have discussions with the Department of Finance about this matter
This is a totally misleading reply. It is extraordinary that a Minister is quoting from a Government memorandum presented at cabinet, incorporating the views of a particular Minister. The Minister here today has misled the House——
I am anxious to proceed with questions.
I want to ask the Minister if he is quoting from a Government memorandum which incorporated the views of one Minister and which had nothing to do with the ultimate decision taken by the Cabinet? Is he not aware that the Taoiseach of the day gave a public commitment in Dún Laoghaire as to the establishment of a harbour authority? Is he not further aware that a Cabinet instruction was issued to proceed with the preparation of legislation and that a Cabinet decision was taken that legislation should be prepared by the Department of Communications? It is scandalous behaviour for the Minister to come here today and deliberately mislead this House and to quote from a Government memorandum which gave the views of one Minister. This is extraordinary carry on.
If you want to debate this it will have to be done another time.
You should see to it that there is fair play for all in this House.
The Chair will see to that. Do not worry.
I was at that meeting——
I intend to relate the facts in this House at all times and I am relating the facts now.
The Minister is misleading the House. There are two people here who were at that meeting.
The then Taoiseach's promises did not mean a thing.
That is the factual position. It was incorporated in Building on Reality and the Department of Finance were not prepared to provide the necessary finance.
The Minister is lying.
Deputy Barrett, you must withdraw that remark.
He is lying. There are two people in this House today who were present when the decision was taken.
To attribute to a Member or to a Minister that he was deliberately lying——
I withdraw the remark. He is misleading the House. This is scandalous.
I have no doubt about the integrity of the Minister. His reply was extremely comprehensive and truthful. It is a source of indifference to me and to the people of Dún Laoghaire from what document the Minister was quoting when he gave the views of the former Minister for Finance. Would the Minister ensure that the views of the former Minister for Finance in the Coalition Government do not prevail and that the present Minister for Finance, with the support of the Minister for the Marine, will ensure that Dún Laoghaire has a harbour authority as a matter of urgency? Would the Minister also take into account the fact that this will not involve a great cash outlay? It is a matter of administrative organisation and all these things will follow one after the other, as night follows day.
It is very necessary to have discussions with the Minister for Finance because at the moment Dún Laoghaire harbour is owned and administered by the Commissioners of Public Works who are the responsibility of the Minister for Finance. The income from the harbour which I understand is in the region of £10,000 a day, is a matter for the Office of Public Works but I will have——
One million pounds a year.
I am calling Question No. 10.
May I ask a question?
It would be self-financing.
From the discussions we had about this some weeks ago I understand it will be self-financing. Further discussions will take place with the Department of Finance.
Would the Minister read into the record the date the decision was taken in relation to the establishment of a harbour authority in Dún Laoghaire and the date of the memorandum giving the observations of the Minister for Finance?
From memory——
Not from memory.
——it was prior to late October 1986 and the Minister decided in the last days of October 1986.
Arising from the Minister's reply——
I have called Question No. 10.
On a point of order.
This is a spurious point of order. I have called the next question.
It is not a spurious point of order.
I am not going back to Question No. 9.
Surely I am entitled to ask questions in this House.
I have allowed you to ask many questions.
Why were we elected to this House if we are not entitled to ask questions? The Minister came in here and said he thinks——
I am calling the next question.
Why did the Deputy not put down this question? The question is in Deputy Andrews' name.
(Interruptions.)
This is obviously a set up.
Deputy Barrett must——
It is a fix. You gave him a way out——
If the Deputy was so interested he should have put down the question himself.
I asked this question in my usual innocent fashion without any——
(Interruptions.)
This is a fix.
The Deputy should have put down the question.
What would Deputy Denis Gallagher know about Dún Laoghaire. He should look after the west and I will look after Dún Laoghaire.
Order, please, I am calling Question No. 10.
The Minister is misleading the House.
If Deputy Barrett persists I shall have to take action.
The Minister has come in here to mislead the House. I intend to pursue this further. This is a scandalous performance and you have allowed him to quote from a Government memorandum——
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 10.