Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I fully accept the Deputy has had a very constructive attitude to the Bill. He has mentioned, and I have heard him list, the many things in the Bill that he supports. I acknowledge that fully. I hope that those who are watching the proceedings will see we are having a genuine exchange of informed views on the Bill.

I am in a different place from the Deputy on this matter. Let me give an example as to why I believe the Deputy could be underestimating the magnitude of what this Bill could mean for a port of regional significance. I could well imagine a scenario that could evolve where, let us say, a port is devolved fully to the local authority. It is reasonable to assume then that proposals in relation to that port would then become part of the local authority's budgets, which is put to local authority members to vote on. I believe the vote on Dublin City Council happened on Monday night and the members of the local authority could vote on it. That is the way in which people who are democratically elected have a say in relation to things within their area. If a port were to be a fully integrated part of a local authority, it would always be part of the development plans the local authority would have, but it could actually become part of its funding plans which the councillors would have to vote on. Surely that is the ultimate sign regarding this Bill seeking to change significantly the relationships that are in place between a port and the area in which it is located. To go into this wide-eyed, if I were to decide that a form of complete integration could be appropriate for a local port, I would then be making that decision on the basis of the existing power split that already exists between elected members and reserve members.

What I would say to the Deputy is to look at the powers of accountability that this Bill is introducing for elected members. The Deputy is correct to say that it is a different matter between bringing somebody in looking for an answer and genuinely getting that answer. I know they are different things, but he knows that the power to ask questions in the first place is a factor in changing behaviour and bringing things out in a more transparent manner.

I refer to my earlier point which was that it is entirely possible that proposals in relation to a port could end up as part of the local authority's budget which Deputy Boyd Barretts's colleagues would have to vote on. Surely that is a really substantial way of responding to the matters which concern Deputy Boyd Barrett.