I move:—
"That the Government be requested to inquire into the desirability of creating in Cork Harbour a free port or free zone and of utilising for this purpose the site of the island of Haulbowline and adjacent property in connection therewith."
There may be a misconception as to what really constitutes a free port or a free zone. It is claimed that such ports conserve the benefits of protection, and preserve absolute free trade for extra territorial or free zone districts. In other words, a free zone is an isolated, enclosed or policed area in or adjacent to a port of entry without resident population, and furnished with the necessary facilities for loading and unloading, and having deep water facilities, docking accommodation and able to supply ships' fuels and stores, and with ample accommodation for storing and re-shipping goods by land, water or air; an area where goods may be not only landed, but also mixed, blended, re-packed and re-shipped to all parts of the world without payment of any duty whatsoever, and without the vexatious intervention of Customs officials, but subject at the same time of course to all other laws re health, ship inspection, labour questions, etc. These advantages are increasingly being availed of on the continent of Europe to the great advantage and expansion of trade, as is well known here in Dublin in the Government offices. I submit that the Government should seriously take into their consideration the establishment of such a free port and free zone in our country. Public bodies, by resolutions galore, deputations, letters to the Press, etc., have, especially in the South of Ireland, drawn attention to the magnificent site suitable for this purpose in Cork Harbour. I allude to the island of Haulbowline and the adjacent islands and land connected therewith. It is a melancholy contrast — the state of things in Cork Harbour compared with what existed under the British régime —I refer to the derelict state of the place. The Ministers have expressed sympathy. We have heard Senator Farren allude to the sympathy expressed with regard to the housing question, but there it ended. Sympathy does not count much without some practical assistance. The Minister indicated in the Dáil that he had communicated with some eminent firms, such as that of Messrs. Henry Ford and Son and others, with regard to the disposal of this place. He suggested that they proposed advertising the letting of it on easy terms and giving it to someone who would utilise it in time to come. I submit that that is placing not only the Government itself but the whole country in a most humiliating position.
When the Port and Harbours Tribunal sat in Cork during the present year, evidence was given on this very question by Mr. J.J. Horgan, who had been Chairman of the Cork Harbour Board. His evidence was most convincing as to the desirability of utilising Cork Harbour for this purpose. I submit that Cork Harbour is the most suitable port in Ireland for this purpose. Mr. Horgan's evidence met with the warm approval and endorsement of other public bodies. The Chairman and members of the Cobh Urban Council have encouraged me to support the proposal most warmly as well as other public men in the South of Ireland. No statement has yet been made by the Government as to what they propose doing, though the Port and Harbours Tribunal held a sitting in Cork so long ago as the beginning of this year. Perhaps the Government is waiting for the Report of that Commission which, I believe, is still sitting. I know that it has had a very big task namely, to examine into the affairs of 22 ports in the country. I believe that the members of the Commission are at present in England. To contrast the position to-day with what it was some years ago, you have only a mere handful of people employed on the island at Haulbowline at the present time. The Government are spending no less than over £20,000 a year on its upkeep. Under the British régime and in prewar years there were from 1,400 to 1,500 hands continuously employed there. During the war there over 3,000 people there, the expenditure in wages alone being over £150,000 a year. All that is now lost to Cobh. The people are without employment and are going about the streets in a semi-starved condition.
National freedom is all very well. I venture to say that every member of the House is pleased that the Free State Government is functioning; but I think it should be accompanied also by some evidence of practical sympathy by granting a searching inquiry into the feasibility of this proposal. Everyone who has been to Cork Harbour must have been struck by the fact that Haulbowline would make an ideal site for the purpose named in this motion. It is completely shut off from the mainland. No matter how stringent the tariff conditions on the mainland may be, Haulbowline itself would be easy to protect. The site is on the principal trade route between Europe and North and South America. It is approachable at all tides and times. There is fine equipment there in the way of lighted buoys, with every modern appliance for a harbour of the kind. It is in possession of a dry dock, with spacious storage accommodation and housing for its officials, etc. Notwithstanding all these facts, unless the Government is pressed by public opinion on the matter perhaps nothing will be done. I think it is incumbent on everyone to endeavour to wake them up from their lethargy and indifference to face the facts, and to face what other countries are doing. So far Great Britain has no such free port or free zone. I was making minute enquiries into the matter, and I venture to think that before very long we shall hear of something being done in that country. We know that trade at Hamburg and Copenhagen is rapidly extending. They are becoming great distributing centres. Norway, not to be outdone, has now opened Oslo. Sweden and other places are following suit, as well as Esthonia, one of the new Russian republics, and Finland. France in 1922 laid the foundations of a new harbour at Algiers to supply a free zone for Northern Africa. Then that well-known character, Mussolini, whom some admire and others do not, has made the port at Genoa, which was formerly a very insignificant one, one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean. It has now a free zone. The United States, with all its potential wealth, has urgent need for expansion, but it is hindered to some extent by vexatious tariffs, in Europe. I have consulted the staff of the freight department of the firm of Messrs. Henry Ford and Son. They warmly approve of such a proposal as I am now making. They think it would be an ideal thing for the South of Ireland. That information was given to me unofficially.
They fervently hope that something will be done in the direction I have indicated. Seeing that our country is advancing, as we thankfully believe it is, something, I suggest, ought to be done in connection with this matter. We rejoice at the statements made at the representative function held in Dublin last night which you, sir, attended. The statement made by his Excellency the Governor-General confirms the fact that our country is advancing. The Governor-General said: "I claim that our economic ship is making steady headway towards the port of national prosperity. Ships must take account of rocks and winds and currents. I know of no rock ahead. There is none on the chart. The sea is open. To overcome the winds and currents we have courage and endurance to spare." Let the Ministers exercise that courage. They have shown wonderful courage in launching the Shannon scheme and in establishing the sugar factory and other enterprises. Surely, therefore, they should not fear to take further steps towards attracting shipping, commerce and the air service of the whole world to the great free port in the South of Ireland.