Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)

——this situation before he tackles the Bantry gang.

I have no difficulty with the reduction in the number of board members. Everything is getting leaner and tighter nowadays and this makes some sense. I have two comments on the matter. It is not fair to have only one worker director. In my experience, worker directors made a very important contribution on the board of which I was a member. It is unfair to expect one worker to attend at a board meeting and try to fight a cause on behalf of a large number of employees which, in the case of Shannon Foynes Port Company, for instance, work in a region almost 50 miles in length. We should consider appointing a second worker-director.

On the contentious issue of councillors on boards, I strongly support the views expressed by Senators on both sides of the House and I am on record about the need to protect the rights of councillors. I was happy to hear the Taoiseach make it clear in the Dáil yesterday, in response to a query, that he has absolute confidence in councillors and should they be suitable for appointment to a board, he is fully in favour of public representatives being appointed to boards. That is from the Taoiseach, a man for whom I have the greatest respect, as does the entire country. I hope all the Ministers will take a leaf out of the Taoiseach's book in that regard.

I have had words with the Minister, Deputy Dempsey, on this issue and he is aware of my views. Appointments were made recently to the board of Shannon Foynes Port Company with the result that for the first time in nearly 50 years, no Kerry person or public representative has a say in the affairs of the estuary which is closest to us and which is of major importance to our welfare and our future. I served on the board for 15 years. A cousin of mine, the late former Senator and Deputy, Kit Ahern, served for an even longer period. Many other excellent councillors represented the interests of Kerry and of the region but for the first time that has ceased to be the case. I can assure the Minister of State that is resented in Kerry. I hope that when any further appointments are made to the board of Shannon Foynes Port Company, the kingdom will not be left out again.

There are many positive measures in the Bill. It is a proactive Bill that examines ways to increase the profitability and competitiveness of our major ports, and as a former director I applaud that. Many serious issues arose that were creating obstacles to progress and to profit. I agree with the speaker who said that we are driven by profit but obstacles were put in our way to do with the acquisition of property and expediting planning applications. I disagree with the speakers who said that An Bord Pleanála is not the appropriate body to deal with planning issues. We had witness to that in my own north Kerry area recently when we got fast-track planning permission for the proposed gas terminal, which is supported by the community with the exception of one or two individuals. Senator Paul Coghlan, my great friend and colleague, was good enough to mention the fact that I experienced difficulty regarding my position there, along with another colleague and great friend, Councillor John Brassil. A complaint was made about me to the director of the Ethics Register because I was a member of the board of Shannon Foynes Port Company at a time when Kerry County Council — of which I was also a member — rezoned land to provide for that gas terminal in Tarbert-Ballylongford. Councillor Brassil was a chairman of Shannon Development and I was a director of Shannon Foynes Port Company. I am glad to say both of us were exonerated. We had no case to answer. We had no pecuniary interest. I regret to say we do not own any property adjacent to the site. That matter has been put aside.

To return to the original point about the councillors, the Minister would be sending out the wrong signal if he reduced the number of councillors on boards. It might give credence to the people I mentioned earlier, many of whom may be cranks who are trying to find fault with public representatives. Public representatives should be supported by our Ministers.

The various Governments in the past ten years must be commended for major investment in our ports under the national development plan. People often ask if money was wasted during the days of the Celtic tiger but I deny that. The Government handled the wealth very well and I hope and pray it will now be in a position to handle the downturn equally well. When people say to me that money was wasted, I tell them to consider the investment that was made in our major ports such as Waterford, Dublin, Shannon and Galway. That was good use of money. It was investment in our future and future generations will reap the benefit of that investment.

In the tougher times we are now entering there has never been a greater need to focus on the commercial mandate of our ports. This Bill enables that. It will be proven to be positive. I believe most Members will support it, although there are aspects of it on which we are not keen. The suitability of public representatives for membership of the boards will continue to be a hot issue during the debates on the various Stages. I will vote for the Bill as put forward by the Minister but I will work as hard as I can to get some movement on that aspect. I intend to take up the challenge issued to us by Senator Cummins.

I must take umbrage with a colleague whom I respect, Senator Boyle, who said that if people in councils had the proper skills they should be appointed to boards. In other words, if a member of a council happens to be an expert in maritime affairs or hydrology, he or she is suitable to be appointed to a harbour board. However, councillors themselves are a skill set, to use his term. To be a councillor one must first be elected, which takes a fair amount of skill. One must be local, which is very important when it comes to regional boards. Also, one must have a commitment to the welfare of the community, not for oneself or one's pocket but for the overall good. All those experiences create a skill set which Senator Boyle would agree a councillor encompasses.

I commend the Minister and compliment his officials. I have dealt with officials in the Minister's Department at different levels for many years and always found them to be proactive and concerned with the good of the harbours and of the country.