Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

This goes back to the issue of consultation on which I spoke at some length in the previous debate. I concur with my colleague in that regard. I am deeply concerned that the consultation promised by several Governments in the past 30 years has not happened, particularly in regard to the port of Bantry. We can refer to various reports, including the KPMG report of June 1999, a PricewaterhouseCoopers report and another report. A total of five or six reports are available. Another report on commercial ports operating under the Harbours Act 1996 was published in 2000.

In support of Senator Donohoe's amendment, the reality is that the consultation process promised has not taken place. I spent a term on the harbour board in Bantry and during that time at least two Ministers gave us commitments that if the option of amalgamation with Cork were to take place, that consultation process would happen and all the interested groups would be consulted. The Senator is correct that this is all about consultation, or the lack of it.

If we examine the issue historically, there were proposals on Balbriggan four or five years ago that were abandoned, rightly or wrongly, because the consultation process was not taking place. Not long ago there was a proposal in one of the reports to amalgamate Rosslare, New Ross and Waterford ports. That has not occurred. As I have said ad nauseam, I do not have a problem, by and large, with the thrust of the Bill but the consultation process that should have taken place has not happened.

Was the local authority in Cork county, the largest county and the third largest local authority in the country, consulted regarding this Bill? Were the county manager or the members consulted, particularly those representing the areas where the ports are located? The same question applies regarding Fenit in Kerry. Was there consultation with those bodies? It is conceivable that once the Bill is enacted, the Minister of the day will have two options.