Madam, - The most welcome plan for the former Irish Steel site on Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour includes a hotel, apartments, commercial property, a maritime museum, a marina and a landmark building (Ireland's very own Sydney Opera House, perhaps), in addition to the existing Irish Naval Service headquarters.
This ambitious plan by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin (presumably modelled on the Dublin docklands development) will attract tourists and top-level businesses and provide many jobs (The Irish Times, July 29th).
However, there is a serious lack of integrated planning in the Cork Harbour area and a lack of communication between different Government departments and Ministers. Two incinerators (one toxic and one municipal) are being planned for an adjacent site, and emissions from their chimney stacks would be blown onto and over Haulbowline Island by the prevailing winds. This is a risk that any investor will take into account and it could deter investment and potential residents, businesses and tourists.
No doubt Mr Martin and his colleagues in their wisdom will recognise this and devise an alternative solution to our waste processing problems. Otherwise they risk ruining the great potential of this proposal for Haulbowline Island. - Yours, etc,
NORCOTT ROBERTS, Monkstown, Co Cork.