asked the Minister for Transport and Power if it is now proposed to establish a harbour authority for Bantry Bay, particularly in the light of the recent oil spillage.

The Government have decided to set up a controlling authority for Bantry Bay. I will be consulting with interested parties as to the nature and functions of the authority. Meantime the preparation of the necessary legislation is in hand.

When is it likely that legislation will be introduced?

I regret to tell the Deputy that I am not in a position from the papers available to me to give a firm date for the introduction of legislation, but I understand that the preparation of the legislation is in hand.

In view of the seriousness of the spillage in Bantry will the Minister ensure in the legislation being prepared that a repetition will be unlikely to happen?

While I entirely echo the Deputy's sentiment, a guarantee on that matter is extremely difficult to give. It is essential to see that the penalties for spillage are such as to increase the level of vigilance on the part of those involved in the spill but the experience of the transfer of oil from tankers to tank farms around the world is such as to make a total guarantee of the absolute avoidance of spillage impossible to give.