I apologise for the slight delay in arriving in the Chamber. I am getting into practice for next week. Perhaps this shows that I need a lot of practice.
I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, affording me the opportunity of raising this important issue tonight in what will be probably one of the final Adjournment debates in the 26th Dáil.
Rogerstown Estuary is a very small estuary near Donabate in north County Dublin. It is internationally recognised as one of the most important east coast sites and is vital for wintering wildfowl and waders and birds on passage. Indeed, birds come to the estuary from the Antarctic.
The estuary is divided into an inner and an outer section by a railway viaduct. The outer portion of the estuary is designated by the Wildlife Service as both a national nature reserve and a Ramsar site. These protective designations are compromised by the operation of the existing Balleally Tiphead by Dublin County Council in the inner estuary. The tiphead, which covers an area of 100 acres, has been in operation since 1971 in what could be classified as an environmentally sensitive area of scientific importance.
On 15 August last Dublin County Council made an application to the Department of the Marine to reclaim an additional 52.5 acres further out into this important wetland area, the inner estuary, for tipping purposes. That disastrous proposal, which is in conflict with the draft development plan of Dublin County Council, is totally unacceptable to the people of north County Dublin and must be rejected by the Minister and his officials. Efforts made by me and my colleagues on Dublin County Council to have this matter debated in the council have been unsuccesful.
Recent counts undertaken by the Wildlife Service have shown that wildlife depend on both the outer and the inner estuaries for feeding. When the birds migrate they go first to the outer estuary and when the food there is used up they go to the inner estuary. That is why we say that the estuary should be so designated.
The Irish Wildbird Conservancy have been concerned for several years about the operation of the Balleally Tiphead at the estuary. Complaints have been made to the EC in that regard and I understand that discussions are taking place with the EC and the Government.
Notwithstanding the needs of Dublin County Council to provide landfill sites — and I acknowledge those needs — it is completely unacceptable to allow the proposal to go through in its present form.
In conclusion, I have a reply from the Minister to the effect that he gave a commitment that all interested parties would be given an opportunity to express their views on this matter. This is too vague. I would ask the Minister and particularly his officials to give a commitment that there will be a public hearing. Hopefully he will say to the council: "This it totally unacceptable, find another solution, because at the end of the day we cannot afford to lose the Rogerstown Estuary". I hope the Minister will acknowledge this need, given the efforts being made by the various groups.