Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

The point I am making is that there is a difference due to the significant amount of commercial traffic from Liebherr in Killarney to Fenit. That company is very attached to Fenit because it suits its operation. If Fenit was only about tourism and angling, we would not be talking about putting it under the control of the Shannon-Foynes Port Company because it would be transferred to Kerry County Council. It is because there is a significant amount of commercial traffic in Fenit and Bantry that we are doing this.

The different perspectives of the different Senators have been very interesting, but there has been a long process of various reports, the results of which mean that this has been transferred to the Department of Transport. It is a very good model when dealing with the big ports and with the amalgamation of roads and ports under the same Department. I accept the argument made by some that it is more difficult to see the synergies when one is talking about smaller harbour commissioners, but that policy was approved by the Government a few years ago. Wexford is in a different category because the harbour commissioners there would come under the local authority. The option for Fenit and Bantry to link in with a port with professional expertise and corporate governance is due to the significant amount of commercial traffic at those ports. If Liebherr was not delivering to Fenit and if the oil terminal was not in Bantry, we would not be talking about this. We would be talking about transferring the competencies of those ports to the local authority.

I can see that there are strong local views on this and we have agreed to look at some amendments on more consultation and reflect on them before the Bill is passed. While we feel that the consultation that took place has been exhaustive, we have agreed to look at Senator Donohoe's amendment to formalise a consultation process in a statutory way. This will not happen in three months or six months. There have been suggestions that the previous consultation was at a high level and that individual local groups or fishermen were not involved. Sometimes we do not shout early enough but wait until decisions are nearly made and then jump out of the rafters, as it were. If any groups felt that they did not get the opportunity to speak on this issue, we are looking at wording that can be put into the Bill to allow for a consultation process in which every group and every individual can make their views known.

I cannot accept any of the amendments tabled but I hope that, in time, people will be happy with the process as laid down in the Bill.