Dominic Hannigan (Labour)

I also want to raise the proposed development outside Balbriggan and Gormanstown of the Bremore Port. This morning Drogheda Port Company announced it had entered an agreement to build a €300 million development on the Meath-Fingal border. The proposed port is four kilometres from the M1 motorway, which is the responsibility of the NRA, and close to the Dublin-Dundalk rail line. It is proposed that the port will take up to 10 million tonnes of traffic every year, three times the current volume of traffic going through Drogheda Port. It will take some traffic from Dublin Port and complement it. It is important we ensure a project of this size is carefully planned in terms of its impact on land use planning, the environment, pollution, transport and local housing needs.

Will the Deputy Leader ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to consider establishing a task force comprising members of the relevant local authorities such as Meath, Fingal and Louth county councils, Dublin City Council, CIE, the NRA, the Health Service Executive and others to set criteria for how this should be planned and managed? It is vital a development of this size is well thought out and well implemented.