Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. The importance of our ports and harbours cannot be over-emphasised, as has been mentioned by many of my colleagues. Ports which are not a requirement as commercial ports for the area in which they are located should be developed into ports of recreation and amenity. A river flowing through a town should enhance that town rather than, as in some instances, detract from it, perhaps due to a lack of investment in the hinterland of the river. To be parochial, in Dundalk's case, very little if any of the limited amount of cargo coming through the port is actually for Dundalk or its immediate hinterland. This is already well-served by the ports of Drogheda and Greenore. Incidentally, I began my working life at the very port which contributes significantly to the economy of the entire area and the Cooley peninsula. It is doubtful if trade through Dundalk could meet the cost of dredging the port without Government assistance. This dredging has to take place on a fairly regular basis as far as ports go. In the event of a transfer to Louth County Council, what body will shoulder any trading deficit or the cost of dredging the port when the need arises?

I, too, disagree with elected members of county councils being excluded from directorships. I am not convinced this is a good idea. I refer to the experience of elected members, and I am familiar with two or three from my 25 years on Louth County Council. One, in particular, although not of my political persuasion, could run any port in this country given his tremendous experience, and I do not say that lightly. To exclude a man of that calibre and with that experience from any board is wrong.

I could not countenance costs being the responsibility of Louth County Council, which has difficulty enough in balancing its budget at present, but I admit I am not fully aware of the detail of this transfer. However, there are a number of scenarios which will require to be addressed before the transfer actually place. What was the recent experience of Dublin Port when it was charged with the running of the local Dundalk Port?

There is a Latin motto over the door of Ballymascanlon hotel, Festina Lente. Latin scholars could probably translate it. It means,hasten slowly. We should apply that motto to the transfer to Dundalk Port to Louth County Council.