Mr. Brendan Newsome:

On the last question, the Deputy's suggestion is like the one implemented in Wales. Wales has such a project but it is not related to ports alone. One should have an open mind on the idea. There are many reasons for the port authorities in Wicklow, New Ross, Rosslare and Wexford to talk. The patch seems to be little overcrowded at present and there is insufficient business. There are too many companies for the amount of business generated. In Wicklow, we have no illusions about the fact that the challenge is quite serious. If one does not hold or improve sales, cutting costs, to whatever extent, will not be a magic bullet for anything. We all know that.

Regarding the largest ship size, we take in ships with a capacity of up to approximately 3,000 tonnes. A dredging programme is planned and we await the decision of the EPA, which must move a little slowly at times, on the improvement of dredging in the harbour. With improved dredging, we would take in somewhat bigger ships.

The River Vartry flows through Ashford, the village in which I live. I recall the river being flooded and thousands of salmon going up the weir towards Roundwood and spawning. An agreement was reached whereby Dublin Corporation could take a lot of water to supply Stillorgan and south Dublin. On the statute, which I was very interested to see, there is an agreement whereby the corporation would assist with the clearance of the river, by way of dredging, from Roundwood to Ashford and into Wicklow Harbour. If X million gallons of water are taken from the river, the flow is very often reduced to a trickle. When the water reached the harbour, sluicing was not occurring to the extent that it had been up to 1948. Consequently, the requirement for dredging is more regular than it was heretofore. Perhaps it was hardly needed in the past. I would be very interested in knowing the fate of the plan by Dublin Corporation to assist in the debt associated with clearing the harbour as a result of its taking the water into south Dublin.