Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I with to share time with Deputy Catherine Murphy instead of Deputy Cowley.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on Private Members' Business on greenhouse gas emissions, which have increased by 25% since 1990, with transport emission growth the greatest in any sector. I will continue in the tradition of my predecessor, Seán Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus, a former Deputy for Dublin North-Central, in the interest of the people and to protect the environment. I remind Deputies that Seán Loftus was Ireland's first environmental politician long before it was popular. In that tradition, I support this motion.

I also support Dublin Bay Watch, an excellent voluntary community group in the Clontarf area, in its efforts to stop the 21-hectare infill of Dublin Bay. If Deputies are serious about the environment, they will support our efforts on Dublin Bay, which is part of this debate and part of the solution.

It was pointed out that in light of ever-increasing advances in technology associated with the transport industry and problems with the growth of port cities, particularly traffic, whole ports or sections of them have needed to be relocated. New York, Liverpool and London ports were given as examples. The Government should direct the Dublin Port Company to enter into a joint venture with the Drogheda Port Company to develop its deep-water facility at Bremore, just north of Balbriggan, and save Dublin Bay. The Dublin Port Company has a history of disastrous decisions, such as its sponsorship of the Dublin Bay oil refinery and its proposal to reclaim 2,870 acres of the bay.

In 1879, Sir John Purser Griffith, a prominent marine engineer, warned against further reclamations inside or outside the harbour due to the threat to the maintenance of the deep-water channel across Dublin Bay. His advice has been ignored, leading to flooding in Clontarf, East Wall and other areas in the northside. I urge Deputies to support the motion on the environment and making a greener and cleaner Ireland.

See this speech in context