Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

All that is intended to happen at this stage is the public consultation. That is happening because of the work Senator O'Donovan did in the previous Seanad. I do not wish to prejudice the outcome of that process at this stage.

When I met the Bantry Bay Harbour Commissioners they were keen that a local board should be retained and that Bantry should have some autonomy. They were keen that fees and profits should remain locally and be invested in the area. They also had an interest in having improvements done to the inner harbour and the area around it. I am open to suggestions in that regard. That is what the public consultation will be about.

It is certainly not my intention to do harm. I appreciate the work done by Bantry Bay Harbour Commissioners for the harbour and for the area. I had the pleasure of visiting Bantry and I hope to do so again, and to be welcome there. It is not my intention to do any harm. I am just trying to regularise the situation.

It is not fair to say Port of Cork has no interest in tourism. The company has done a pretty good job in attracting cruise ships to Cork city in recent years and is taking an active interest in the Cork Harbour project, particularly for tourism. I take the point the Senator is making, nevertheless. Bantry is quite a distance from Cork city and it makes sense to have some sort of identity or autonomy there.