Vol. 403 No. 5
37 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he has discussed with Irish Rail the request made by Dublin Corporation for a narrow strip of land along the Royal Canal near Spencer Dock Bridge, Dublin 1, in addition to the smaller site already under negotiation to enable Dublin Corporation to rehouse the tenants of the Sheriff Street flats; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
My Department has been in contact with CIE about the question of having land owned by the board made available to Dublin Corporation to rehouse tenants displaced from the Sheriff Street Area.
I have been informed that the board recently agreed terms with the corporation for sale of a site at Spencer Avenue. I also understand that there have been discussions between the board and the corporation about the sale of other sites.
I should explain to the Deputy that CIE have a statutory obligation not to dispose of property which is required for the purposes of the undertaking. I fully appreciate the need to rehouse the tenants of Sheriff Street Flats and I raised with CIE the question of disposing to Dublin Corporation the particular strip of land to which the Deputy's question refers. CIE have indicated, however, that they wish to reserve this land for possible future railway development.
