Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State for the clarification on the strengthening of the role of the docklands consultative forum and to reviewing its title. Hopefully it will not just be given an advisory and consultative role, but will also have oversight of it. This is important to ensure targets are reached.

I agree with Deputy O'Sullivan that there is a lack of clarity in regard to the representatives of the local community organisations on the forum and whether they will necessarily be people who are living in the community. Many people represent the community in different guises, but do not live in the community. It would be good to see the areas represented by people living in them, because they are defined areas, such as North Wall, Ringsend, East Wall and so on. The provisions should ensure there is a proper distribution of representation. There is nothing in the legislation regarding a balanced distribution of representation for the people in the docklands area or regarding how the organisations may choose who will be on the forum or whether it will be an outsider or someone from within the community.

Another element missing from the Bill is a reference to any organisations representing heritage or culture in the area. The docklands area has enormous heritage. The Minister of State is from Waterford and is aware of its heritage. We regard Dublin as a Viking city, perhaps even before Waterford was a Viking city.

We could argue about that one. There is much industrial heritage, as well as maritime heritage and everything else with the confluence of the water at the canal, river and sea. It would be useful to add a set of people to represent the heritage and culture of the area, considering the work being done at present by the docklands preservation society on the maritime history of the docklands. Dublin Port has many artefacts as well. We should look at developing that heritage in a proactive fashion so it would be desirable to have people as representatives on the particular forum.