asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that large tracts of land in the Dublin Port area are being acquired by a British property developer on behalf of a group promoting a short take-off and landing airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I have recently given my consent in principle to a request for my approval to the sale by Dublin Port and Docks Board of 15 acres of their land. The board have indicated that it is not needed for port purposes. I understand this land was offered for public tender. I understand that a private group has been investigating the possibility of developing a short take-off and landing airport on lands in this general area. Any such proposal would have to be formulated in detail before it could be evaluated by the relevant authorities.

Has the Minister or his officials had any talks or contacts with the airport promoters and, if so, what was the nature of the talks? Is he sympathetically disposed towards the airport project, as claimed by the promoters?

No proposals have been tabled with regard to that matter.

Has the Minister had any talks?

There have been no talks and no proposals.

Is the Minister's approval a Government decision?

For some time the Department and the Dublin Port and Docks Board have been anxious to dispose of surplus assets. This is a surplus asset of about 15 acres of land and other land in that vicinity has been sold by the IDA. Under section 159 of the Harbours Act, 1946, the Authority may, with my consent, sell any lands or premises which are not required.

Did the Minister seek the observations of Aer Rianta?

It is not a matter for me to seek observations on proposals which I have not seen. I have been asked to give my authority in principle to the approval and I have not finally approved the sale. I have merely given my authority in principle to the Port and Docks Board to dispose of the surplus asset of 15 acres of land which they claim they do not need for the port and which, under the harbours legislation, they have authority to dispose of.

It is extraordinary that a decision of this nature, even in principle, should be given without consultation with Aer Rianta and the Department of Transport.

My responsibility is in relation to the development of port facilities and the advice and view of the Dublin Ports Authority is that this is a surplus asset which they do not require for port development. The responsibility for airports is a matter for another Department.

Has an environmental study been done?

The Deputy is confusing the issue.

Strange decisions.

I am calling Deputy Gregory for a final supplementary.

When the Minister approved the sale in principle was he concerned about the use the purchaser would make of the site or was his decision dictated by financial considerations?

The formal consent to the sale will have to come before me when the final contracting documents are completed. I have given the Authority agreement in principle to the disposal of an asset which they felt was not necessary for port development. The Deputy is a member of the board and he should be familiar with all the details of this project.