Lisa McDonald (Fianna Fail)

I appreciate the Minister's argument that modern helicopters are faster, more effective and can fly through fog and various other adverse weather conditions. At what stage can one say one can save a life? What happens if the helicopter happens to be 20 minutes late or half an hour late? If the helicopter is twice as fast, we should be able to save more lives. It does not mean one locates it twice as far away. While I support the work done this week to highlight this issue, a debate next week on the matter is necessary to get the Minister to change his mind on the decision.

I agree with Senator Ó Brolcháin on the report of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, which needs to be debated, that there is life outside Dublin. In Wexford, Rosslare Port is strategically important to the national economy. Recently the port manager there informed me that as our planning laws end at the shoreline, any port development that involves construction in the sea cannot go ahead because of the ridiculously bad delays in the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. Rosslare Port cannot be developed the way the people want to because the infrastructural planning laws do not provide adequately for port development. This area needs to be properly debated.