Vol. 511 No. 2
66 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the plans, if any, he has to hold a public inquiry into the proposal by the Dublin Port and Docks Board to obtain a foreshore licence to reclaim additional lands in Dublin Bay; the scope and conduct of the inquiry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23906/99]
The foreshore in question is privately owned foreshore and as such a permission under section 10 of the Foreshore Act, 1933, is all that is required. Such permission can be refused only where the proposed development will interfere with navigation or fisheries or is shown to be environmentally unacceptable. There is no provision under the foreshore Acts for the holding of a public inquiry into the granting of a permission.
The proposed reclamation was publicly advertised in the Irish Independent and The Irish Times on 1 October and details were made available in the offices of Dublin Port Company, Port Centre, Alexandra Road, and Store Street Garda Station for a period of one month which ended on 1 November. More than 400 people availed of that opportunity to make submissions which will be duly considered before any decision is made on the application.
