Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Lacey for his presentation. The IRHA has taken issue with the report. I am not going to go into that now because I suspect that there are others here who will do that. I have two secondary questions in my capacity as a Deputy for Dublin Bay North, which is adjacent to Dublin Port. The first question was also referred to in earlier contributions, which is the traffic management plan in and around the port. I believe that Mr. Lacey said he did not want to comment on that and perhaps it is for other agencies, but I am aware that Mr. Eugene Drennan from the IRHA will say later at another Oireachtas committee that we need a new entity to deal with the traffic congestion issue. Currently there is a traffic management group under the aegis of the Department of Transport, which includes representatives from Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Dublin City Council, An Garda Síochána, the Office of Public Works, the Revenue Commissioners, and the Dublin Port Company. Does Mr. Lacey have a view on that? I believe it is too late to set up a single entity. This problem is on our doorstep. We need to proceed with the traffic management group that is in place to deal with any problems arising in traffic congestion. If it is not a matter for the IMDO then that is fine, but perhaps Mr. Lacey will comment on the proposal from the IRHA for a single entity.

This is a secondary question in terms of the overall issue we are dealing with here. It relates to Dublin Port. Does the office have a remit for the physical capacity of Dublin Port from the point of view of space and future development? The residents of Clontarf, whom I represent, have had a very uneasy relationship with Dublin Port, in particular due to the proposal to infill 52 acres of Dublin Bay. Does the IMDO have a remit for the future development of the ports from the point of view of physical space?

I saw a newspaper article again this week about the possibility of developing Bremore as a port. I recall the late Deputy, Seán Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus, calling for the complete relocation of Dublin Port to Bremore. I would not have gone that far. I am interested to know whether the office has a remit in that regard and if the witnesses think the Dublin Port Company has enough space for anticipated future development.