Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming to the House for this debate. In advance, I consulted my Green Party colleague and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county councillor, Mr. Ossian Smyth. The Minister will be aware that the Minister of State, Deputy John Paul Phelan, told the Dáil last night that Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council taxpayers will not be liable for the €33.5 million costs incurred in this instance. How much will the council have to pay? Given the harbour company that accrued this debt is a semi-State entity, why is it not being borne by the Exchequer rather than a cash-strapped local authority?

I understand that since the ferry service ended, the harbour company has attempted a number of far-fetched money making schemes, including a floating hotel, a floating swimming pool, a floating housing estate and a cruise ship dock that would have filled the harbour. All of these schemes failed, leaving a trail of debt. Does the Minister believe that it is fair that the residents of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown will have to pay for this wastage of money by the harbour company on pipe dreams? Will the council now have to cut services to the residents and increase property tax in the area to meet the repayment of this debt run up by a semi-State agency under the watch of the Minister and his Department?

When established, the harbour company received the harbour assets with no debt attached from the Office of Public Works. Is it fair that it is proposed to dump the debts of this semi-State agency on the Minister's constituents? Does the Department expect the council to continue to pay the chief executive officer of this failed entity the €168,000 package he is reportedly due until he chooses to retire? Why was the chief executive office of the harbour company given a contract of indefinite duration when there is a seven-year term limit on serving as a chief executive of a semi-State agency? Was it not negligence on the part of the Department to allow this happen? Does the Minister believe that his constituents should foot the massive bill for a chief executive whose work will be done by council management into the future? When on the Opposition benches, the Minister was keen on holding State agencies and fat cats to account. I am a little shocked, therefore, to see him rewarding the boss of a failed semi-State agency in this way. He would not have tolerated this when he was in opposition but now he is facilitating the Government in this matter. I was informed by Councillor Smyth that the council is holding a special meeting this evening and that he is written to the Minister's office inviting him to attend. I suggest that when this debate ends, the Minister should take the DART to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.As the Minister knows, if it was a constituency meeting and there were votes at stake, he would be the first there.