Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

The article further states:

She said the tests carried out yesterday would be used as a basis for making a submission to the EEC, and within 15 months, a scale model, costing about £20,000, would be submitted. It was hoped that the construction of the model would be carried out as a UCC post-graduate project.

"What is being done today will lead to an analysis and from there to proper costings", she added. "After that the project will be put to the people of the town".

This Bill is not being put to the people of the town or to the harbour board.

Ms. O'Mahony saw prospects of a marina establishing Bantry as an off-season resort. It's bread and butter income would be from providing winter moorings for yachts of 40 ft. and over, and the cream would be the handling of ocean-going yachts.

Mr. O'Donnell visualised that if the project were supported it could earn Bantry "a very, very conservative" £90,000 a year, as well as creating temporary employment for young people.

Yesterday was marked by two gestures of goodwill for the venture — O'Sullivan's plant hire dug the test holes free of charge, and the work was supervised, also voluntarily, by Quantity Surveyor Mr. Andrew Moore, of the contracting firm of Murnane and O'Shea.

I place this information on record because it is evidence of what certain people envisioned in 1985.

If I was on the other side of the House, I would have a rip-roaring go in respect of this matter, particularly as it relates to the lack of consultation. When Gulf Oil moved out and Chevron came in, the State benefited on both occasions. There was a clear political commitment to spend money in Bantry. At the time the project cost £250,000 and the then Government made a commitment that money would be spent. That commitment was never honoured, which is a disgrace.

More than 20 years later it has been decided to transfer control to the Cork Port Company, which I do not trust. It does not matter what any Minister in the Government states, I am of the view that Cork Port Company will not honour the commitments that were given by different Departments. I am seriously concerned because such commitments to the people of Bantry, whom I represent, have not been honoured by successive Governments.

Progress and money have been made during the past ten years and there has been extremely good co-operation at Department level. Now that we are on our feet, however, the rug is being pulled from under us.

I will be obliged to speak further on this issue when the Minister of State has replied. In the interim, however, I must locate extremely important information from a number of consultants. There are six or seven reports available, all of which I could read into the record of the House. However, I will not be able to do so in the time remaining today. This is my final bite at the cherry on behalf of Bantry harbour. If I lose on this one, I will be obliged to tell the people of Bantry that I was on watch when their harbour was sold off. That is a matter about which I am concerned.