Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. It may be peculiar for those watching to see us talking to the Minister of State with responsibility for local government about Dún Laoghaire Harbour, which is one of the finest harbours in Europe and the world. It is renowned for its historic nature architectural beauty. With that, however, comes major responsibility, including financial responsibility. A number of heated responses in the House from the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, regarding this matter have shown that there is dissatisfaction in the community in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council area regarding ongoing obligations in respect of the maintenance and financial requirements needed to protect this national treasure. It is unfair, and considered unfair, that that should be the case. I want to agree with that sentiment.

At the outset, I must state that I am a former director of the harbour company, having served in that position for ten years. I left the post many years ago but I am intimately familiar with the workings of the company. I refer to its finances, corporate governance and attendant issues. Many Ministers with responsibility for transport have dealt with this issue, including the Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe and the Minister, Deputy Ross. Those are all influential people in politics and in this Government. They are also aware of the financial liabilities and difficulties.

I do not want to open up the issue of the governance of the company today. I want to focus on how we can secure from the Government some financial support and assistance for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, its executive and elected members, to protect the future of this harbour. Financial liabilities are part of this issue. It is suggested that total liabilities might be some €30 million, but it is hard to quantify. Some provision, however, should be given. It is not appropriate that a State agency should saddle another arm of the State, in this case Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, with a financial liability of this significance.

I do not want to look back, I want to look forward. Responsibility for this particular area now falls on the desk of the Minister of State. Can he give an undertaking that he will secure an incremental transitional fund for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown over a period of between three and five years? I seek assurance about the status of the trading accounts for the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company for the last year or two. There is a statutory obligation in law, and the Houses of the Oireachtas enacted the legislation, that provides for the audited accounts of the company to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The time is well lapsed and yet we still have not seen the accounts. I ask the Minister of State to enlighten me on the following. Where are the accounts? What is their status? Is he aware of any complications or reservations by anybody, including former directors or financial people who work for the company? Have they any difficult signing off on them? The Minister of State might share that information with us if he has it. More importantly, when can we expect the accounts to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas? Can he give us and the local authority, its members and executive comfort by saying what he might do or might be able to do to provide financial support to them? There may be elements of heritage and conservation and, therefore, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Madigan, may be able to provide funding. A number of State agencies may be able to provide funding for this particular issue.