Vol. 524 No. 2
115 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the current position regarding the proposal of a company (details supplied) in Dublin 1 for further reclamation of Dublin Bay; if he will arrange for a detailed brief on the current use of the landbank of this company to be provided; the areas which have already been reclaimed; the current usage in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21245/00]
In March 2000 my Department informed the Dublin Port Company that the environmental impact assessment submitted as part of its application for reclamation under the Foreshore Act, 1933 did not comply with statutory requirements. The company is currently preparing a new EIS for submission to my Department.
I am advised that the port company has various development schemes in hand or at an advanced planning stage for improved ro-ro ramp provision. According to a recent update of the assessment of Irish seaport capacity study, given the rate of growth of HGV traffic this seems appropriate. The report states that "the increased size and number of ramps will provide better accommodation for lines operating to the port and their larger ships which will be put on to the services. They will not, however, add capacity to the port. Additional space adjacent to the ramps is needed to allow the terminal operating companies to marshal and hold efficiently, on a temporary storage basis, the ever increasing HGV traffic". The report adds however that "such land is generally not available. The port company retains as much control over space as possible and transfers plots of land between terminals to meet space demands as best it can."
Bulk and break bulk cargoes are handled by private companies at dedicated berths and terminals, which the study finds adequate for current traffic levels, and by three stevedores at Alexandra Quay West, East, and Ocean Pier.
Dublin Port Company has advised that the port's current landbank is totally utilised. The landbank is used for port purposes and of this land 80 acres are leased to the oil companies, 30 acres will be taken by the port tunnel for the next four years, 20 acres will permanently be utilised for port tunnel purposes and on the southside 18 acres of land are currently being used by Dublin Corporation to prepare its sewerage scheme for Dublin Bay.
The study confirms that Dublin Port is achieving a high utilisation of existing facilities. It notes the flow of increasing cargo volumes, particularly ro-ro vehicles and the lack of spare land areas within the port. Neither problem can be resolved by the Dublin Port Company in isolation.
An expert EU co-financed assessment of port access requirements nationally, which I hope to publish shortly, concludes that "Dublin will increasingly face capacity constraints over the next ten years. Over the period to 2006, immediate capacity constraints will be felt in the unitised modes and ongoing expansion of facilities will be a priority. If land for expansion is unavailable, the port will have to concentrate its developments on increasing the utilisation of existing land and facilities and possibly forgoing existing lower value trades which are space intensive".
