Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 Mar 2002

Vol. 551 No. 2

Written Answers. - Port Development.

Derek McDowell

Question:

47 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if his Department has again received an application from the Dublin Port Company for permission to fill in 52 acres of Dublin Bay; if so, his views on the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9894/02]

Ivor Callely

Question:

128 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the procedures and time schedule of the Dublin Port Company's application for a foreshore licence; the history associated with such an application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10134/02]

Ivor Callely

Question:

129 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the contact between his Department and the Dublin Port Company on the issue of land reclamation over recent times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10135/02]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Fahey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 128 and 129 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, in 1998 Dublin Port Company applied for permission under section 10 of the Foreshore Act, 1933, as amended, to have 21 hectares of its own foreshore in Dublin Port reclaimed for port purposes. As the environmental impact statement, EIS, submitted with that application did not meet with minimum statutory requirements it was rejected by my Department.

Dublin Port Company submitted a new EIS to my Department on 8 March 2002 and they stated that it was their intention to enter a voluntary six month process of consultation with relevant interested parties instead of the one month statutory requirement. We are endeavouring to have this clarified and have asked the company to advise us about the availability of the EIS to the public and when it will appear on their website. We await the company's response.

As I stated in my reply to Question No. 160 on 20 March, my Department has forwarded the EIS to its consultants for examination to confirm that it meets statutory minimum requirements and constitutes a basis for me to make a decision on the application. The consultants will report in due course and I will then consider whether I can accept the EIS as adequate. The outcome of the public consultation will have to be thoroughly assessed before any decision could be made on the company's application.