Greens are anti-industry, claims port official

A SENIOR member of Port of Cork management has accused the Green Party of being anti-industry and intent on turning the harbour into a giant tourist attraction.

The accusation was made by the Port of Cork’s commercial manager, Captain Michael McCarthy, who reacted angrily to recent pronouncements from the Green Party – especially from Senator Dan Boyle – about the future use of the harbour.

Capt McCarthy said he was “astounded” at Mr Boyle’s statement in the Irish Examiner about the Green Party’s agenda to develop Cork Harbour for tourism.

“The Green Party agenda in Cork is to shut us down and stagnate industry and commerce which we cannot understand,” he said.

Capt McCarthy said the Port of Cork had absolutely no objection to enhancing the harbour as a tourist attraction, but it had to be done in conjunction with encouraging commerce.

“It (the Green Party agenda) was specifically aimed at denying industry and consumers in the Cork and Munster area of access to world markets. The Green Party representatives in Munster must be totally unaware that as an island nation, Ireland imports and exports over 98% of its goods through the ports,” he said.

Capt McCarthy pointed out that at last year’s oral hearing, both Mr Boyle and his Green Party colleague, Cllr Dominick Donnelly, had condemned the port’s plan to relocate its facilities from the city quays to the Oysterbank at Ringaskiddy.

“International and local companies set up their operations so that they can have an efficient supply chain of products, and yet Dan Boyle and Dominick Donnelly keep reiterating that the harbour should only be used for tourism and leisure. The Green Party philosophy in Cork will lead to massive job losses in the region, make the region uncompetitive for the efficient movement of goods and thus promoting companies to locate to other regions, adjacent to ports that can supply their requirements in a cost-effective manner,” he said.

The port authorities are finalising their review of the Bord Pleanála decision to refuse them planning permission for a new deep water cargo terminal at Ringaskiddy. Capt McCarthy said the results of the review would lead to a new plan which would go out to public consultation shortly.