My purpose in raising this matter on the Adjournment is to request the Minister for Transport and Power to reconsider his decision to site the new car ferry terminal at St. Michael's Wharf, Dún Laoghaire. I regret the necessity to interrupt the debate on the Land Bill in this way. In fact, what I am trying to do is very much what we have been trying to do in our debate on the Land Bill. I am trying to ensure the best use is made of the land of our country in the interests of both the people of Dún Laoghaire and of the country as a whole.
I am raising this matter tonight because it is a matter of urgency. If certain decisions cannot be altered within the next few weeks perhaps, what I consider to be a grave mistake will be made. It is a matter of urgency and concern, not only to the people of Dún Laoghaire, but I believe, to the people of the country as a whole. In fact, every member of this House will be paying taxes to meet the expense of this car ferry terminal. It will not be a matter for the rates of Dún Laoghaire borough. It will be a matter of national taxation. Therefore, it concerns the members of the House and it also concerns our citizens as a whole.
I want to ask the Minister to reconsider his present decision. Let me first outline to the House the situation at Dún Laoghaire. I want the House to grasp this because I value their good will. If they are convinced by what I say they may help to induce the Minister to reconsider his decision. Dún Laoghaire harbour is one of the finest man-made harbours in western Europe. It consists of three main areas. There is the East Pier, there is the West Pier and there is a central land area between the land ends of the two piers. The East Pier, as many of us know, who live near Dublin, is a favourite resort for the citizens of Dún Laoghaire, for Dubliners and, of course, for tourists from across the water. They walk there, they drive there, they can watch yacht races and they can listen to the band. Altogether, the East Pier is the main tourist attraction in Dún Laoghaire.
The central area at the moment is occupied by the mail boat pier, by three yacht groups, all of them of great merit, and by St. Michael's Wharf. I would like the House to note the name of St. Michael's Wharf because that is where the trouble lies. We then have the West Pier, which is almost a mile long. It is a magnificent pier and is virtually unfrequented and unused. The East Pier is thronged with people every day. The West Pier is completely without people usually, and the central area near the land end of the West Pier is almost a slum quarter of Dún Laoghaire. All who frequent it, on the whole, are the owners of some of the smaller boats. There are no fine buildings in that area. It is not visited by tourists. At the moment that particular area is of very little tourist or commercial importance.
I claim that this west area needs development. It is crying out for development. If the new car ferry terminal is situated nearer the West Pier it will stimulate development which would help Dún Laoghaire and help the country as a whole. Let us be clear on what we are talking about. We have the East Pier there at the moment. The temporary car ferry terminal is being built at the East Pier. It is almost finished now. The Minister has assured us it is only for temporary use. The Minister has decided to place the permanent car ferry terminal on the east side of what I call the central area, that is, at St. Michael's Wharf. The third place where this car ferry terminal might be sited would, as I say, be at the west part of the central area, especially at the place called Traders' Wharf.
I attended a meeting last week in Dún Laoghaire at which there were some 400 people representing all sorts and kinds of residents round about Dún Laoghaire, Dalkey and surroundings. They unanimously voted against the St. Michael's Wharf site and in favour of the Traders' Wharf site. Let me give the reasons for that unanimous vote of approximately 400 people. First, let me state the objections to St. Michael's Wharf, that is the site which the Minister, at the moment, proposes to use as the permanent car ferry terminal. St. Michael's Wharf is at the foot of Marine Avenue, a very fine street which runs up from the harbour to the centre of Dún Laoghaire. Marine Avenue is one of the main streets of Dún Laoghaire.
If St. Michael's Wharf is made the permanent site for the car ferry terminal, first of all, each day a very large number of cars will be landed there and will have to proceed to one of the busiest cross-roads in the district. That will add very greatly to the considerable traffic problems which already face Dún Laoghaire. It is also possible that during the six months, when the tourist cars will probably not be coming across, there will be container traffic. It would be very undesirable for the town of Dún Laoghaire to have this heavy container traffic going right through the centre of the town, or right along the promenade. Also, if St. Michael's Wharf is chosen as a permanent site, the most popular car-park visitors to Dún Laoghaire will be completely lost. At the moment, this particular site is used by dozens of persons and, on occasion, hundreds of persons, as the best and most pleasing car-parking site when visiting Dún Laoghaire.
The site is also used for carnivals during the summer and for receptions from the sea. It has also a magnificent view. One looks right across the harbour to Howth. It is generally agreed to be one of the best points for viewing in Dún Laoghaire. Again, if the intended pier, some 550 ft. long, is built out from St. Michael's Wharf, it will cut right in on what is one of the most famous yachting harbours in these islands. It will cut straight across the main track of the races, and will gravely interfere with the mooring of boats. If car traffic is launched from that particular site, it has to go mainly through Dún Laoghaire itself, or along the promenade. When this boat comes in daily — I understand the time chosen is between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.—it will cut right across the yacht racing lines and interfere with some of the finest yacht races that take place in Ireland or Great Britain. Some people have tried to write off the yachtsmen as not worthy of great consideration. That is not so. Their races are of international reputation. Sometimes there are something like 200 boats in the bays during a regatta. This is a very great tourist attraction, and we should be very careful about interfering with it.
It occurs to me — I should very much like to know what the Minister thought of it if he were here — that under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963, perhaps the use of the St. Michael's Wharf site is going directly against the spirit and the letter of the Act. I shall quote Section 42 of that Act. It reads as follows:
Where it appears to the planning authority that an area is an area of special amenity by reason of—
(a) its natural beauty, or
(b) its scenic or other amenities...
...and so on, an order may be made to have no development in that area. I think this site is pre-eminently an area of that kind — a special amenity. I understand there are citizens in Dún Laoghaire who are prepared to press the powers of that Act so far as possible in this matter.
Those are the main negative reasons against choosing St. Michael's Wharf. Let me give the positive reasons for choosing the site further to the west, the Traders' Wharf site. First, it develops a piece of land which at the moment is virtually undeveloped. Nearby there is some waste land which is an eyesore at the moment, but is potentially of great value. Secondly, this western site does not interfere in any way with the amenities of Dún Laoghaire. Thirdly, there is plenty of land there for industrial and commercial development, unlike St. Michael's Wharf where land is strictly limited. Further, if we site the car ferry terminal at Traders' Wharf the increased traffic flow will be removed from the centre of Dún Laoghaire and from the main promenade. Further, there is a railway siding adjacent to Traders' Wharf and the facilities for yacht racing would only be interfered with to a small extent. In fact, it would cause very little difficulty, indeed, if the car ferry terminal were put at that point. I understand that there is no objection by British Railways to putting the car ferry terminal there. It depends entirely on the Minister.
Here for a moment I should like to diverge to mention a matter of even wider importance. Dún Laoghaire has been called the gateway to Ireland. It is a very noble gateway, as is known to those who have approached Ireland that way. On the west side there is this virtually derelict piece of waste land. In the national interest, as well as the interest of the borough of Dún Laoghaire, that portion of the gateway to Ireland should be used, and used properly. There is very great urgency for the building of a coast road there from Dún Laoghaire harbour to Blackrock, and on to Sandymount. That would be a magnificent scenic attraction. It would relieve the traffic which now heavily burdens the Blackrock road. If the car ferry terminal were sited on Traders' Wharf, this road would need to be developed, and there would be encouragement for developing it, and thereby the whole area would profit.
I would appeal to the Minister, even if he finds it impossible to accept my main plea this evening, to consider appointing Harbour Commissioners, or some committee, with full power to plan and develop Dún Laoghaire harbour. At the moment it is under the care of the Board of Works who maintain it in good order. But there is no dynamic plan of development for this magnificent harbour. I suggest that if he sites the car ferry terminal at St. Michael's Wharf. he will be interfering very gravely with the development of the harbour, but if he sites it at Traders' Wharf, he will be leading on to greater and better development.
There are, I admit, objections to the site at Traders' Wharf. The first is that apparently when the wind is in a certain quarter there is a heavy swell at that side of the harbour, heavier than in other parts of the harbour. Secondly, there is some doubt about the depth of the water in that part of the harbour. Those difficulties are admitted, but we have excellent marine engineers and I am quite sure difficulties of that kind could be perfectly well overcome if the engineers were given a chance. The difficulties are certainly not insurmountable. In other words, I am saying that both in the national interest, and in the interest of Dún Laoghaire, it is better to site this car ferry terminal permanently in the western area.
I must try to meet one or two of the Minister's possible arguments against me. First, he may point out that Dún Laoghaire Corporation have accepted his plans to put the terminal at the St. Michael's Wharf. Dún Laoghaire Corporation are an estimable body. They have done very good work in many ways; but here, however, I think they have made a grave mistake. I believe they were stampeded by the thought that the ferry might be left permanently on the east pier, which would be utterly disastrous. They took the next best alternative of putting it at St. Michael's Wharf without giving due consideration to the western site. They were also attracted — and what Corporation would not be attracted? — by the Minister's decision that it would not come out of the rates if the St. Michael's Wharf site were accepted. That would be a very attractive proposition to any Corporation. They may feel they are acting in the best interests of Dún Laoghaire in supporting the Minister's decision, but I can only say that the 400 people I mentioned, and a great many others, are entirely against them.
The Minister will probably say that if this change of plan is adopted there will be delay. I assure him it will be worthwhile. The citizens of Dún Laoghaire are prepared to face delay if necessary to get the best site.
Again, he may question the status of the objectors to this plan. He may say: "The Corporation are on my side" and "Who are these people?" It has been suggested that they are only yachtsmen interested in their limited sport. It is perfectly true that the yachtsmen of Dún Laoghaire spearheaded this movement against St. Michael's Wharf, acting, to some extent, in their own interest, but they have a very good complaint and have convinced a large number of Dún Laoghaire citizens that they are right in general.
The last objection I may meet is that the Minister may say that it is too late and that all the necessary decisions have now been made. No construction has been started. I doubt if any Minister is really committed absolutely until actual building begins. Therefore, I appeal to him — and I view him as a Minister who genuinely wants to make the best possible use of our national resources — to halt the present plans. I appeal to him to have a fuller and more detailed survey on sea and land in the western area of the harbour. I have a strong hope that if he does reopen the inquiry he will find good reasons for moving the site of the car ferry further to the west.
