Vol. 426 No. 6
10 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Marine if he has made a decision to proceed with a new car ferry terminal at Dún Laoghaire port; if he has made an application to the EC Commission for funding for the project; and if he will ensure that, in the context of a port policy for Dublin Bay, Dún Laoghaire port will remain the principal car and passenger port in the Dublin area.
23 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for the Marine if he will give details of the situation in relation to the development of Dún Laoghaire Harbour; and if he will make a statement on future plans for the harbour, and in particular, the retention and upgrading of the ferry and its facilities.
I intend to take Questions Nos. 10 and 23 together.
The development plan prepared by the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Board, which will serve as the blueprint for the future development of the harbour, was approved in principle by the last Government. That approval allowed the plans advancement to the next stage; accordingly, site investigation work, cost benefit analyses and other studies needed to justify the proposed expenditure set out in the plan can now proceed.
A contract for the conduct of site investigations in the harbour will be placed shortly and work will begin three weeks thereafter. The results of the investigations, the cost of which is being part funded by the technical assistance programme of the operational programme on peripherality, should take about four months to complete. The investigation will assist in the accurate assessment of costs for the design of ferry terminal and marina facilities.
I am awaiting the report of a study on ferry terminal requirements in Dublin Bay recently commissioned by the Department and I am confident that the study's recommendations will include the information necessary to support applications to the EC in the context of the next programme of structural funding for the development of both Dún Laoghaire and Dublin Port.
In the meantime, in recognition of the importance of the passenger traffic through the harbour, and extensive redecoration programme, including fire and safety improvements, to the interior of the buildings on the Carlisle Pier is underway and is due for completion by the summer.
Is the Minister aware that this is the third occasion on which an announcement has been made that contracts are being placed for the site investigation work at Dún Laoghaire Harbour?
He is mixing it up with the Tallaght hospital.
While I welcome the Minister's announcement that this work will commence within three weeks and will be completed in four months, when does he expect the Government to make a decision on the report which is being prepared by the consultants at present? When exactly will an application be made for European funding towards the provision of a new car ferry terminal at Dún Laoghaire?
It may be the third announcement but it is the final one. That is a promise.
Then it definitely will not go ahead.
I will not bore the Deputy with any further announcements, I am sure he is glad to have heard it, even for the third time.
I look forward to seeing it the third time around.
I admit I have a particular interest, and I declare my interest in this matter——
Is the Minister registering his interest in this matter?
I will do that when the Bill becomes manifest. I have been a Deputy for that area for many years and I have the privilege of being Minister for the Marine. When I leave office I think I will be known as the only Minister who, as an elected Deputy for the constituency, ever did anything for Dún Laoghaire port.
Do not speak too soon, Minister.
Unless in the meantime——
We are right behind you.
That is what I am afraid of.
What I am really saying to the Deputy——
Gallows humour.
——is that when the consultants report becomes available, we will immediately address the question of funds for this development. I am pleased to tell the Deputy that the contract for the conduct of a site investigation of the harbour will be placed within the next number of weeks. The investigation will be completed by the summer. In relation to the Carlisle Pier, I have already initiated an extensive redecoration programme, including fire and safety improvements, of the interior of the buildings on the pier. This is underway and is costed at approximately £187,000. It is due for completion by the end of the summer. It will make Dún Laoghaire an attractive place and a genuine gateway to this country.
An additional bonus for those who are anxious to see Dún Laoghaire improved, and properly so, is that in association with the improvements being undertaken to passenger facilities, applications were invited by public advertisement on 17 February 1993, for a suitably qualified individual or individuals, organisation or organisations, interested in operating a café facility on the Carlisle Pier. I have also indicated that it is my intention to make available to the local bed and breakfast interests a small facility within Carlisle Pier which would open at 6 a.m.— in other words we want to greet people who up to now have arrived at a pier which gave them a poor introduction to this country.
To some extent the Minister covered the point I intended to make. In regard to the refurbishment and redecoration of Carlisle Pier — I described it once as being like Ellis Island — I am delighted to hear the Minister's comments. Is the Minister confident that we will go ahead with upgrading the port? We still do not have an idea of exactly when this might happen. Has the Minister any idea at this stage or can he put any timeframe on it?
I do not wish to put a timeframe on it on the basis that the site investigation is about to begin. When it has been completed, we could address the issue and if the Deputy would like to put down a question at that stage I would be in a better position to give her a timeframe.
In relation to the question of the ferry terminal and the suggestion of it being unified in the context of Dublin port, I would like to put on record that it will not happen in my term as Minister for the Marine. I would like to see Dún Laoghaire car ferry terminal improved. I say quite categorically that, in my term as Minister for the Marine, there will not be a unified car ferry terminal.
Let us not dwell too long on Dún Laoghaire.
It is the first time that I can do something genuinely specific and physical for the constituency. I do not want to be seen as Minister for the Marine for Dún Laoghaire; I would like to be seen as Minister for the Marine for the whole island. However, if I can do anything for Dún Laoghaire along the way I will and I will make no excuses for it.
The republic of Kingstown.
I congratulate the Minister on making a definite statement. It is the first definite statement that has been made for a long time by any member of the Government. It is a great help to this country that he has clarified the position regarding the car ferry facility at Dún Laoghaire. I would ask the Minister to consider writing to those who consistently try to undermine the port of Dún Laoghaire as a car ferry terminal so that they can use their energies in some other direction and leave Dún Laoghaire alone to develop properly.
I am grateful for the Deputy's intervention. I thoroughly agree with him. Those people who continue to interfere in the affairs of Dún Laoghaire might be better off putting their energies into their own areas and disciplines. It is fair to say that we can get on with our own business in Dún Laoghaire.
We now come to Question No. 11. After dealing with this question, I shall proceed to deal with questions addressed to the Minister in his Defence portfolio.
