The management and development of CIE's property holdings is a matter for the company and I have no statutory function in this regard. It is my understanding that CIE does not propose to dispose of its property at the North Wall. Instead it is seeking to enter into partnership arrangements for the redevelopment of those lands which would enable CIE to retain ownership and generate an income from the redevelopment.
Last November the Government agreed to the principle that lands in the docklands area owned by statutory bodies which were not required by those bodies for the purpose of performing of their statutory functions should, in general, be offered for sale at full market value to the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. It was further agreed that alternatively the body concerned and the Docklands Authority could negotiate the terms of an approach under which they would become jointly involved in the redevelopment of the lands. Discussions between CIE and the Docklands Authority are continuing in compliance with the Government decision. The assessment of the market value of its property and of appropriate measures to maximise the income from it are matters for the CIE board.
