P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

Under section 18 of the Harbours Act 1996, provision is made for the transfer of harbour authorities to local authority control by ministerial order in cases where there is little or no commercial traffic. The ports policy statement provides that in cases where there is significant commercial traffic, consideration will be given to bringing the relevant harbours under the control of a port company. This is relevant to two harbour authorities, namely, Bantry Bay, and Tralee and Fenit. The proposed amendment will allow flexibility in legislation to provide for their transfer to either local authority control or to local port company control.

What is wrong with the vibrant Bantry Harbour Board which was established 25 years ago? I want an assurance from the Minister tonight that Bantry Harbour Board will act as its own harbour authority. Will the Minister provide this assurance in view of the consideration we gave him on Committee Stage last week when he was trying to get us to unanimously agree to withdraw the amendments tabled? He stated that he would be flexible with regard to them on Report Stage. Furthermore, I have a very serious view on these amendments because of the Minister's behaviour in that we are here tonight under false pretences; the Minister misled the select committee to have the Bill at this Stage before the House tonight. Is he trying to slide it in at this late hour under the shadow of darkness on one of the shortest nights of the year?

I remind the Minister that he was facing 19 amendments tabled by me and Deputies O'Dowd and Broughan on Bantry Harbour in sections 18 and 19 of the Bill. On Committee Stage, having taken one vote on the first of my amendments, amendment No. 22, which the Minister won with the most slender of margins, he was facing a further 18 amendments. Tonight, it seems to me that with all the dexterity of a three-card trickster the Minister misled the select committee-----

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