I welcome the Minister for the Marine, Deputy Woods, and thank him for taking the motion this afternoon.
At the Irish Management Institute Conference in Killarney last April, the Taoiseach, Deputy Reynolds, announced that the Government had plans to develop the Shannon Estuary as the top port in Europe. The Taoiseach described it as the finest deep water harbour in Europe with a capacity to take ships of up to 300,000 tonnes. He said he hoped it would take over from Rotterdam, which was now over-crowded. I ask the Minister to clarify for the House and, indeed, for the mid-west region, details of the Government's proposals on this.
Under the plan the Taoiseach said it is envisaged that ships from North and South America would import heavy raw material into the Shannon area for use by industry in this country and for redistribution throughout the Continent. In April the plan was advanced to a stage where the Taoiseach stated that contact had been made with interested parties in Canada, Mexico and other countries in North and South America. I would like the Minister to outline the outcome of these discussions and the present stage of the development of the project itself.
I am sure the Minister is aware that this is not the first time such a proposal was made for the mid-west area and for the Shannon Estuary. A private developer applied to Limerick County Council for planning permission in 1988 for a similar project but due to difficulties which arose, this was refused at the time. I now welcome the proposals of the Government to develop such a port on the estuary, and would welcome details from the Minister regarding this. How far advanced are the plans? What have been the results of any feasibility studies which I am sure the Government have completed? Will the proposals be submitted to the EC for Structural Funding in the period 1993-97 for the development of the project?
I also ask the Minister to outline the environmental impact of the proposals. This is very important in the light of previous experience in the area, when planning permission was sought for the similar development previously mentioned. A key issue that will arise, of course, will be the sitting of the project itself — the sitting of the proposed port. The obvious approach is that the development will be an extension of the highly successful port of Foynes. I urge the Minister to enter immediately into discussions with Foynes Harbour Trustees. There is a wealth of experience and a track record of success in harbour development available to the Minister at Foynes.
In the past few weeks the Minister for the Marine received an extensive submission from Foynes outlining the trustees development plan for the period 1992-99. The plan, which is costed at £19.6 million, includes provision for additional berthage at a cost of £8 million; capital dredging costing £6.5 million; land acquisition and filling of new land costing £1.8 million; new roadways, £1.2 million; infrastructural development of land at a cost of £1.5 million; and warehousing at a cost of £600,000. The Minister is aware that Foynes is the fastest growing port in the country. Trade through the port has increased from 41,000 tonnes in 1963 to 1,215,000 tonnes in the year ended 31 March 1992. Likewise, the number of trading vessels has increased for the same period from 32 to 320 and net registered tonnage of vessels has increased from 22,850 to 725,000 tonnes.
Over the past 15 years Foynes Harbour Trustees have expended in the region of £9 million improving facilities. Foynes has a clear track record of successful development and port management. The Minister of the Marine should use this fact when implementing new proposals for the development of a trans-shipment port on the Shannon Estuary. In fact, I believe he should include his proposals — which I hope he will outline and which were referred to by the Taoiseach — as part of the Foynes Port complex development.
