Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Chair for the opportunity to raise this important matter. I am pleased my constituency colleague, Deputy Micheál Martin, is here to address the issue, as I know he has supported the Cork docklands project since its infancy.

Cork docklands represent an area of approximately 166 hectares in the middle of Cork city, with more than 4 km of waterfront. The area includes the south and north docks. The plan for the regeneration of the Cork docklands area provides for the development of residential units which could cater for up to 15,000 people. Such a development would create thousands of jobs, would involve the development of an integrated transport network and a convention centre and would help to stem the recent decline in the population of Cork city.

At the outset, I wish to pay tribute to the work of Cork City Council and in particular that of the docklands directorate it established in recent years to promote and lead this project thus far. In particular, I pay tribute to the leadership shown by the council's director of services, Pat Ledwidge, and the city manager Joe Gavin. Without their work on the Cork docklands project, it would be but a pipe dream. They published a Cork docklands development strategy in 2001, a Cork docklands economic study in 2007 and a south docks local area plan in 2008.

For many years, the importance of the Cork docklands project has been recognised in local, regional and national strategy documents, including the Cork area's strategic plan, the national spatial strategy, which recognised Cork as a gateway city, and the national development plan, which recognises the importance of the Cork docklands project. In recognition of this and of the work undertaken by Cork City Council, last year the former Taoiseach established the national steering forum for the Cork docklands project. I understand the forum's report, which has become known as the Wrixon report as it was chaired by Professor Gerry Wrixon, was completed in recent months and has been submitted to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

The forum conducted its work in a representative fashion. Its membership included the city and county managers, representatives of Cork Chamber of Commerce, the Port of Cork and six Departments, as well as local landowners and community representatives. It had a broad membership and its report has been submitted to the Department recently. However, it has yet to be published and the Minister should address the issue of when it will be published. Elements of it have been leaked to the media and one can only assume such reports have been accurate. For instance, they set out that the report provides for an investment by the State of up to €615 million in the years to 2020 on the construction of three bridges, three roads, public transport, water, schools and so on. The report also is alleged to have recommended the establishment of a new body to oversee the development of the docklands during the next 20-year period and that planning control should remain with Cork City Council.

There has been some debate in Cork as to whether the lead implementing agency should be Cork City Council or a national body. I believe that notwithstanding the immense work done by the city council to date, advancing this project through the barriers and obstacles will require national input and leadership along the lines recommended by the forum report that was published.

I welcome the progress that has been made to date, particularly in respect of the Minister's intention to introduce tax incentives for the SEVESO-listed sites that form part of the Cork docklands area, subject to the approval of the European Commission. There are three such sites within the Cork docklands area and their removal would address a key barrier to the future development of the docklands area. As the Minister is aware, the Cork docklands project is of national significance and at a time of recession in particular, it represents a not-to-be-missed opportunity for our city and region and I look forward to the Minister's reply.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the raising of this issue by my constituency colleague from Cork South-Central, Deputy Michael McGrath.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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It is good for the Minister to come in to reply to him.

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister, without interruption.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I also am here to take Deputy Neville's Adjournment matter.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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He should appreciate that.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Given the national remit of the matter tabled by Deputy Neville, I was particularly anxious to come before the House to clarify that position. He should be grateful and appreciative of my presence.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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It is much appreciated.

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister should proceed.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is general consensus among relevant Departments and State agencies that the ambitious plan for the regeneration of the Cork docklands advanced by Cork City Council is potentially of major significance both to the city itself and in a wider national framework.

With an area of more than 160 hectares contiguous to the city centre, the docklands offer the prospect of developing a modern, mixed-use city quarter. Current plans anticipate that over a 20-year period, the population of the docklands could increase from 500 at present to approximately 22,000. This would entail the provision of more than 9,500 residential units, including nearly 2,000 social and affordable units. This regeneration project has the potential to sustain approximately 27,000 new jobs in retail and financial services, industry, ICT, higher-level educational institutions and leisure and cultural activities.

Development on this scale is the equivalent of placing a large Irish town in a city centre location and would give Cork further critical mass in terms of its potential to act as a counterpoint to Dublin. For this reason, the regeneration of the docklands is recognised as a priority project under the national development plan and as an important element in meeting the overall objectives of the national spatial strategy regarding balanced regional development. Moreover, there is a clear commitment in the programme for Government to support the transformation of the area.

In recognition of the potential significance of the Cork docklands project, I, on behalf of the Government, established the Cork Docklands Development Forum, comprising representatives of relevant Departments, State agencies, local authorities and business and community interests. The forum's secretariat was based in my former Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Essentially, the forum was asked to prioritise the early consideration by, and response of, public bodies to the docklands area plan and to promote the effective co-ordination and delivery of public investment in the docklands. The backdrop to this was the successful work of the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to get special consideration on the regional aid map for the encouragement of small and medium enterprises and industry in the area.

The forum's report was submitted in July and set out a policy and economic rationale for the regeneration project; identified key economic and other drivers essential to the realisation of the vision for the area; identified and costed critical public infrastructure required over the lifetime of the project, to 2027 at least, to underpin subsequent private investment; considered significant constraints and barriers to the intended redevelopment; considered how this redevelopment might be incentivised; and made recommendations regarding institutional arrangements to bring the project forward.

The forum report envisages highly significant investment in public infrastructure, including the proposed eastern gateway bridge in opening up the south docklands for development, as well as possible support for relocation of port and other activities. In this regard, a new ring-fenced tax incentive scheme will be established to facilitate the removal and relocation of SEVESO-listed industrial facilities that hinder the residential and commercial regeneration of docklands in urban brownfield areas. The EU SEVESO directive seeks to protect public safety by placing land-use restrictions on new residential and commercial development near locations where dangerous substances are stored. Further details will be outlined in the Finance Bill to be published on 20 November. I commend the Minister for Finance on his positive response to this issue, which also will affect other docklands areas. We have been working together to try to move this agenda forward. This scheme is subject to clearance by the European Commission from an EU state aids perspective. However, preliminary work has been undertaken by the forum with the Commission in this regard. The cost of this measure will depend on take-up.

The gateway innovation fund was designed to incentivise joined-up planning and delivery of development initiatives in the national spatial strategy-designated gateway cities and towns, in conjunction with the private sector and complementing other NDP investment. While, in the overall context of budgetary decisions, it has been necessary to defer allocations under the fund for 2009, I recognise the strategic potential of targeted investment for the future to drive and facilitate development and build on the local momentum in the gateways. There is constant engagement with the Minister for Finance and other Ministers with regard to this bridge. As for the agency issue, the forum was clear in this regard. Moreover, this is a national project and the experience of the forum showed the importance of the involvement of a variety of Departments. It ensured acquiescence and inputs from the relevant Departments, including the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; the Environment, Heritage and Local Government; Arts, Sport and Tourism; Finance and so on. It is an important part of the spatial strategy and that is the rationale behind having an agency approach to the development itself.