Sir, - Mr Frank Fahey, Minister for the Marine, is to be congratulated on his initiative in getting the Government to agree to set up two task forces. One is to consider a plan to transport freight by train from Dublin Port to a distribution centre outside the city - something I advocated in my submission to the 1976 Dublin City Draft Development Plan. The other is to study transport logistics in connection with ports. This is good news for those of us who are concerned about Dublin's traffic chaos and those who care about the loss of Dublin Bay amenities.
Mr Fahey's initiatives are very important in relation to the Dublin Port Company's third application to fill in 52 acres of inner Dublin Bay on the River Tolka. The environmental impact report which the company submitted in support of its application, was found to be "seriously flawed" by independent consultants employed by the Department of the Marine.
On May 12th last year the Department wrote to the port company: "As the EIS did not meet minimum statutory requirements the application cannot be deemed to be a valid one." Mr Enda Connellan, CEO of the company, wrote an angry letter objecting to the Department's judgement. The Department capitulated and agreed that the company submit a new draft EIS, which it has now done. This draft does not analyse the benefits of the port company entering into joint ventures with other ports.
Mr Connellan was asked at a public meeting in Clontarf Castle what effect the 52-acre in-fill would have on traffic. He replied: "That is a matter for Dublin Corporation and Owen Keegan. I have a port to run."
Since there is not a professional environmentalist on the Minister's port estates task force, Mr Fahey should appoint one on to it and he should inform the Dublin Port Company that he is rejecting its 52-acre application because its first EIS is discredited and the new draft EIS is inadequate. - Yours, etc.,
Sean Dublin Bay Loftus, Seafield Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3.
