Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for giving me the opportunity to raise this issue.

Cork docklands are a cornerstone of the future plans of Cork City Council, its elected councillors and its city officials, led by Mr. Pat Ledwidge and Mr. Joe Gavin, city manager. The development requires a clear commitment to deliver to Cork by, first, publishing the Cork Docklands Forum report and, second, providing funding for the eastern gateway bridge. In particular, it requires the publication of the report of the Cork Docklands Development Forum. It is extraordinary that the report was given to the Department and that we read about it in The Irish Times on 1 October before many of the stakeholders had seen it. The elected representatives of Cork City Council have not read it. I do not wish to take issue with the Government regard the leaking of the report but it is unfair and disingenuous to the people of Cork and those charged with representing them that it was not published.

Professor Wrixon, the chairman of the forum appointed by the Government, has included many interesting points in the report. However, we need the docklands site, which amounts to a massive 400 acres, to be developed. Why is there no report? Will it be available prior to the budget next Tuesday? Other Governments promised tax incentives and funding for the eastern gateway bridge in their budgets but they have not been realised. We were told provision would be made in Finance Bills but this has not happened. There has been complete silence from Fianna Fáil and the Green Party, which is worrying. The cynic in me suspects we might see nothing in the budget next week and that we will see no published report.

The Minister has an opportunity to kick-start economic development in the regions and in Cork. For some members of the Government, the country ends at the Red Cow roundabout at one end of the city and on the M1 near Dublin Airport at the other. Those of us who live beyond Dublin need to see the regions and Cork city developed. The docklands development is the last major development needed in Cork to "stimulate regional activity", as Cork Chamber put it. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply and hope he has good news for the people of Cork.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am responding on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley.

There is general consensus among relevant Departments and State agencies that the Cork docklands project advanced by Cork City Council is potentially of major significance to the city and in a wider national framework. The council is to be congratulated for articulating an ambitious vision for the regeneration of the docklands, establishing a detailed local planning framework and undertaking various infrastructural and economic studies to support the implementation of this vision.

With an area of more than 160 hectares, contiguous to the city centre, the docklands offer the prospect of developing a modern, mixed-use city quarter. Current plans anticipate that, over a 20-year period, the population of the docklands could increase from 500 at present to some 22,000. This would entail the provision of more than 9,500 residential units, including nearly 2,000 social and affordable units. It is estimated that this regeneration project has the potential to sustain in the region of 27,000 new jobs in retail and financial services, industry, ICT, higher-level educational institutions and leisure and cultural activities.

Development on this scale is the equivalent of placing a large Irish town in a city centre location and it would clearly give Cork further critical mass in terms of its potential to act as a counterpoint to Dublin. For this reason, the regeneration of the docklands is recognised as a priority project under the national development plan, and as an important element in meeting the overall objectives of the national spatial strategy regarding balanced regional development. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to support the transformation of the area.

In recognition of the potential significance of the Cork docklands project, the Government, in December 2007, established the Cork Docklands Development Forum, comprising representatives of relevant Departments, State agencies, local authorities and business and community interests. Essentially, the forum was asked to prioritise the early consideration by, and response of, public bodies to the docklands area plan and promote the effective co-ordination and delivery of public investment in the docklands. The forum submitted its report in early July 2008. Without going into detail, it set out a clear policy and economic rationale for the regeneration project; identified key economic and other drivers essential to the realisation of the vision for the area; identified and costed critical public infrastructure required over the lifetime of the project — up to 2027 at least — to underpin subsequent private investment; considered significant constraints and barriers to the intended redevelopment; considered how this redevelopment might be incentivised; and made recommendations regarding institutional arrangements to bring forward the project. The forum report envisages very significant investment in public infrastructure, in addition to possible support for the relocation of port and other activities.

In the light of current economic and financial circumstances, and as future investment priorities are being determined, the House will appreciate that a report of this nature requires careful consideration. On 23 July, the Government agreed to establish an interdepartmental group, chaired by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, to develop a response to the report. This group will report to the Government very shortly, at which time the appropriate timescale for publication of the report can be considered. While the Minister is aware that the main content of the report was very recently reported in the national press, he does not believe its formal publication at this time would serve a useful purpose.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Given the nature of the Minister of State's response, which does not fall under his brief, and given that another committee has been established to deal with the forum report, will he inform the Minister, Deputy John Gormley, that we have not received a timescale for its publication? The response states it will be published "shortly". What does this mean? Will we have action in the budget to provide funding for Cork docklands? We and the members of Cork City Council need these answers.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Senator will appreciate that an interdepartmental committee has been set up. He will also appreciate that I cannot tell him what is contained in the budget, but I will certainly convey his views to the Minister.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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We do not need an interdepartmental committee.