Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

This section proposes to reduce the number of directors in a port company from 12 to eight. If the Bantry Harbour Commissioners are to be scrapped and its control transferred to the Cork Port Authority, then contracting the number of directors to eight will only make matters worse. Behind the scenes, we have been told that the Bantry Harbour Commissioners would be fortunate to get one director on the Cork Port company board. That will create difficulties for Bantry, leaving the 11 harbour commissioners, eight men and three women, marooned on a rock in a very big ebbing tide with only one director in a diminished set-up on the Cork Port board. They should be expanding the number of directors instead. What happens when the Cork Port authority swallows up Kinsale, Baltimore and Youghal harbours?

Senator Ned O'Sullivan spoke on Second Stage about the amalgamation of Tralee and Fenit Harbour with Shannon-Foynes Port Company. That was a marriage of convenience. By and large there was prior consultation, a courtship so to speak, and the marriage took place. I hate this notion of shotgun weddings. Section 8 will also affect the provisions in section 11.