Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

My first question is a question for Cormac O'Rourke and TII. It concerns the Cork-Limerick motorway that was signalled during the week as part of Project Ireland 2040. Can Mr. O'Rourke tell us whether that motorway will be built through a public private partnership and can he tell us whether it will be tolled? If he cannot give members a definitive answer, can he give them an indication as to the likely position?

I had a number of questions about facilities and services for people with disabilities but as those questions largely have been asked by Deputy Munster, I will await the replies to them with interest.

The next question is for the chairpersons designate of the ports and I will start with a quote stating:

This is a smash-and-grab raid, redolent of a bankrupt Government philosophy. It is one thing to consider selling off the family jewels when, at least, the householder would still have access to the house. To sell off the ports is akin to the householder selling off the driveway, porch and front door to the house, then having to pay for the right to use them to enter the house in the future.

The subject matter is clear and concerns the privatisation of the ports. What is interesting is the identity of the person who made that point. While one might think it was a member of the national committee of my own party or something like that, it was actually Mr. Maritime himself, Mr. Tom MacSweeney. The witnesses should give their view to the committee on that particular quotation, which has a lot of substance to it.

My final question is for Mr. Mullins. It relates to the relocation of the port to Ringaskiddy. The commencement of the work, the provision of tax clearance certificates, the provision of evidence of insurance and the guarantee that the work is going to get done in time were all matters that came before the court two weeks ago. I believe they are due to be heard before the commercial court in July. The witness is aware that there is another controversy in Cork at the moment, surrounding a project for which a bid was placed by BAM. Initially, €20 million of State investment for that project was discussed. We are now contemplating a figure of €30 million or arguably €40 million, because apparently the State is being asked to provide so-called infrastructural support to the event centre, apart from another €10 million paid directly. These are two key projects in Cork for which this company won the tender. It turns out that for the event centre, an extra €10 million is being asked for, plus €10 million in infrastructure support. The costs for the ports run to an extra €12 million. I believe the firm told the commercial court that there was an arithmetic error when the tender was submitted.

In my opinion this is wholesale profiteering. Perhaps Mr. Mullins cannot go into the detail with a court case coming up but I am asking him to give us an idea, as the public have a right to know. What kind of delay this is likely to cause to the relocation?