Vol. 386 No. 5
asked the Minister for the Marine the future of the other proposals for the development of a marina in Dún Laoghaire Harbour, County Dublin given that the planning review group have found in favour of the MDIL proposal; and if the other proposers will be invited to furnish detailed plans for further development in the harbour.
20.
asked the Minister for the Marine if it is the Government's intention to set up a harbour development board, along the lines recommended by the planning review group, for Dún Laoghaire harbour, County Dublin; when such a board will be established; whether they will be requested to publish a full management plan for the development of the harbour; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
22.
asked the Minister for the Marine if provision will be made, as recommended by the planning review group for Dún Laoghaire harbour, County Dublin, for the MDIL proposal for a marina to be subject to an environmental impact assessment.
27.
asked the Minister for the Marine if the Government have yet considered the report of the planning review group for Dún Laoghaire harbour, County Dublin; if it is intended to implement the report; if his attention has been drawn to the strong local opposition expressed to aspects of the report, especially the recommendation to put a marina in the Old Harbour-Coal Harbour area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
28.
asked the Minister for the Marine if he intends imposing a condition on MDIL in their licence to build a marina in Dún Laoghaire harbour, County Dublin, that planning permission for on-shore facilities in the stoneyard area to serve phase I will have to be sought, as recommended by the report of the planning review group.
32.
asked the Minister for the Marine if the Government have accepted the findings of the planning review group on the development of Dún Laoghaire harbour, County Dublin; if it is the Government's intention to grant a licence to MDIL for the construction of a marina; if he will outline the conditions attached to such a licence; and when work will commence on this development.
34.
asked the Minister for the Marine if he has accepted the report of the review group examining Dún Laoghaire harbour, County Dublin; and if so, when he proposes to establish an independent harbour authority.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 20, 22, 27, 28, 32 and 34 together.
I have considered the report of the planning review group at some length and I have had it examined by officials in my Department. Based on this I have formulated proposals arising from the report. These proposals are now being put to Government. I hope to have a Government decision on the report shortly. I shall not be making any announcements until the Government have had time to consider these proposals.
I have already welcomed the report which gives a comprehensive, considered, and professional blueprint for Dún Laoghaire harbour.
Has the Minister yet come to a decision on whether he is accepting the findings in favour of the MDIL proposal for the development of a marina in Dún Laoghaire harbour?
I have set out very clearly what the position is. We have examined the report of the planning review group and have formulated proposals arising from it, which now go to the Government for their final decision. I would hope to make an announcement fairly soon. I will make no further statements on the matter pending that decision.
Is the Minister in a position to state whether he accepts in full the findings in the report of the planning review group? Second, does he accept the finding that the MDIL proposal for a marina should go ahead in Dún Laoghaire? Is the Minister in a position to say whether he accepts that part of the planning review group's report? Also is he in a position to state whether he will be recommending that the Government accept it?
As I have said already, I welcome the report which sets out a very broad blueprint for the overall development in Dún Laoghaire. As I have said, too, I am not prepared to make any further statement at this time.
The Minister is aware that arising out of the major controversy, MDIL suspended their operations in May 1988. May I take it from what the Minister has said that the suspension of operations will remain pending the Government's decision?
Yes.
Will the directors of the company adhere to the wishes of the Government that operations remain suspended pending the Government decision?
Yes.
I am glad to hear that.
I take it that the Minister is now aware that there is considerable local anxiety with regard to the conclusions of the planning review group on the MDIL proposals. The Minister is aware that Dún Laoghaire Harbour Watch have grave misgivings about the conclusions of the report. Would the Minister be prepared to have regard to their views, meet with representatives of that body and put their views to Cabinet in conjunction with the planning review group report in view of what I have to say is a rather ominous suggestion, that the Minister has welcomed in full the planning review group report?
A Cheann Comhairle, I think it is an excellent report and every opportunity was afforded, to the best of my information, by the planning review group to people to put forward their views and considered opinions during the course of that review. The purpose of establishing the planning review group was to get the reports, recommendations and views of the people in that area, and I believe that was done adequately by the planning review group. I take this opportunity, not only of congratulating them, but indeed complimenting them on the speed and efficiency with which they finalised their deliberations.
Would the Minister agree that the recommendations of the report that the whole harbour be invaded by private commercial developers represents a fundamental issue of difference between local people who use the harbour and that recommendation? Would the Minister not consider it important to, at least, hear for himself the views of these people and be in a position to comment on them as and when the Cabinet come to consider the matter?
I am fully aware of the views that have been expressed prior to the establishment of the planning review group. I visited Dún Laoghaire and attended numerous meetings——
I hope it was not for lunch.
——and met various groups. I do not accept that there will be any invasion of Dún Laoghaire; certainly we do not contemplate that. In my view we are not helping the situation by having a further review taking place here. The review body's findings have been published in a detailed and comprehensive document. I understand that the group afforded an opportunity to the various interest groups, organisations and individuals to make their representations. I think Deputy Desmond availed of that opportunity to make a submission. At this stage I await the Government's decision on the findings.
Will the Minister state when he expects a Government decision on the matter? What is the position of people who put forward proposals for the development of the marina in Dún Laoghaire? Are they now to be invited to submit detailed plans?
I do not anticipate any undue delay on the Government's part. So far as I am concerned the Government have given me the responsibility to promote the development of marinas and to promote the development of recreational and leisure amenities in many of our harbours — in fact we have an excellent marina proposal up and running in Kilrush. From the point of view of the development of marina and leisure facilities, it would be my wish that there would be no undue delay in reaching a final conclusion. As to the matter of further applications, we are constantly in receipt of applications. At present we have 25 to 30 applications for marinas in various locations. Any application for the proposed marina in Dún Laoghaire will await the Government's decision on their over-all position in relation to the development of the marina.
Order, Deputies, please.
On a point of order, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of the closure of the Strabane-Lifford road, a main throughfare between Donegal and Northern Ireland, which has been closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic since Thursday last and is now causing great inconvenience and hardship to law abiding citizens on both sides of the Border, who are compelled to use alternative but unsuitable routes.
I will communicate with the Deputy. I will take a very brief question from Deputy Desmond and then Deputy Kennedy.
In view of the previous Government's decision of October 1986 to set up a harbour authority together with the clear recommendation by the planning review group that a harbour authority should be set up — an endorsement of our decision — can the Minister say whether he is favourably disposed to those two decisions and recommendations at this stage, without pre-empting a Government decision?
The group recommended that the management and development of the harbour should be entrusted to an authority consisting of a chairman and six ordinary members appointed by the Minister for the Marine on the basis of their competence to contribute to the running of the harbour. The authority should prepare a detailed management plan for the harbour with the kind of development outlined in the report. The authority should act as a commercial semi-State development agency with the power to borrow and attract funds to implement this plan. That recommendation would broadly fit into line with the policy I am following in the Department. This is the type of small, commercially-orientated body to which we propose to entrust by legislation the management of the Shannon Estuary, for instance. Deputy McCoy will be familiar with this matter. There is to be an estuarial authority replacing the 40 or 50 commissioners.
When the Government come to a decision on a marina proposal in Dún Laoghaire, will there be a decision at the same time as to whether Dún Laoghaire should have a harbour development board?
The overall development of Dún Laoghaire should be considered in a broad general way and the precise position should be set out in the overall context. I cannot pre-empt the Government decision.
