Dick Spring
Question:18 Mr. Spring asked the Taoiseach if he will outline the proposals for the development of the Shannon estuary, pursuant to his remarks made at the IMI conference in Killarney, County Kerry earlier this year.
Written Answers. - Shannon Estuary.
Jimmy Deenihan
Question:83 Mr. Deenihan asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the more recent efforts by the Government to promote the Shannon Estuary especially in relation to the proposed project with the Russian commonwealth of states.
Michael Finucane
Question:85 Mr. Finucane asked the Taoiseach the developments to date in relation to the transhipment feasibility of the Shannon estuary; the time scale envisaged in relation to having this transhipment facility in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Michael Finucane
Question:86 Mr. Finucane asked the Taoiseach if he will give a progress report in relation to marketing at Shannon estuary for heavy industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 83, 85 and 86 together.
My proposals for the integrated economic development of the Shannon Estuary were made in the context of a series of policies and measures to establish Ireland as an economically-strategic trading bridgehead between the European Community and third countries. This was one of my major messages during my recent promotional visit to the United States.
At my request, the special economic development officer in my Department is currently co-ordinating the strategic planning and preliminary international marketing of this concept. Discussions have recently been held with a number of relevant Ministers in the Russian Federation, and we are also talking to relevant interests in other countries such as Canada, Hungary, Mexico, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, China and South Africa. Tentative approaches have been made to additional countries and we are awaiting the reaction. I stress that we are at a relatively early stage of strategic planning but I am confident that this will result in specific project proposals in the relatively near future.
The maritime aspects of the development of the Shannon Estuary will, of course, be the direct responsibility of the Department of the Marine and of the various maritime authorities which operate under the aegis of that Department. The IDA and Shannon Development are actively involved in the planning and promotional work.
I envisage that, subject to the success of our international marketing efforts, the provision of the necessary infrastructure to underpin the integrated economic development of the Shannon Estuary will be one of the major flagship projects for the next round of the EC Structural Funds and for the Cohesion Fund.
I intend to make a fuller statement on this project as soon as I have positive results from our international promotional programme.