Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications

Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company: Discussion with Chairperson Designate

11:15 am

Photo of Mary Mitchell O'ConnorMary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank Ms Scott-Lennon for her comprehensive statement. As a woman, I am in a minority in the Dáil and am delighted to see a woman being proposed by the board as chairperson.

Ms Scott-Lennon outlined her plans and vision for the future. I liked how she also referred to the challenges, for example, the recent challenges with passenger ferry facilities. The company must approach it with a commercial eye.

I presume that Ms Scott-Lennon's business experience will be hugely important in her forthcoming role as chairperson of the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company.

I have seen the cruise ships coming in and I am amazed as a person living in the area. I would like to know how Ms Scott-Lennon did it. Two years ago, there were no cruise ships, yet 30,000 people were brought into the town this summer. Perhaps she could tell us how she plans to quadruple that number in future, without telling other Deputies how to do it in their towns.

I would also like Ms Scott-Lennon to tell me about her relationship with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and the business associations in the area. It would be valuable to hear that.

I think Ms Scott-Lennon has a done a wonderful job, which has progressed a lot in the recent past. The urban beach project is going through the county council. In the past, we have had problems and have needed swimming pools in the town. Ms Scott-Lennon has responded well to that matter.

What is Ms Scott-Lennon's vision? Does she see her tenure as lasting five, ten, 15 or 20 years? Will she be in here every few years telling us how much the situation has improved?