Sargent seeks legal advice to have both Balbriggan and Skerries harbours kept in public ownership

On the eve of the proposed sale of Balbriggan and Skerries harbours, Green Party Leader Trevor Sargent TD, after intensive talks, is seeking legal advice to have both harbours kept in public ownership.
Deputy Sargent said today that, ?Tomorrow, on 30th June 2004, Balbriggan and Skerries historic and working harbours are due to be sold unless Section 88 of the 1996 Harbours Act is put into effect transferring both harbours from the ownership of Dublin Port to Fingal County Council.?
Trevor Sargent TD, who represents the Dublin North constituency, has met with officials from both the Department of the Environment and the Department of the Marine, along with Fingal County Council and Dublin Port and local Dáil representatives, to work out a transfer arrangement.
?I regret that the two Departments effectively sat on their hands and pleaded abject poverty even though Clogherhead port in Minister Dermot Ahern?s own constituency recently received grants totalling ?8 million.?
?I am now seeking legal advice in order to have the two harbours retained in public ownership as the Harbours Act of 1996 envisages. This is what the people of Balbriggan and Skerries want, and have asked for by way of more than 1,000 signatures from petitions and letters to date,? concluded Deputy Sargent.