Mr. Maurice Buckley:

Deputy Ryan made a point about the impact on the environment and the River Blackwater. A tidal barrier is not without an impact. It has to have a flood area behind it and has a major ecological impact which has to be studied and taken into account.

These are very sensitive issues in Cork - I see Deputy Sherlock is smiling at me - and we are looking at these considerations. We are not ignoring them and we are not being stubborn on this. It is simply that when we look at the combination of the economic pros and cons together with the environmental impact the conclusion not just of the OPW but of national and international experts is the way we are progressing this is the correct one for the city.