The Cunard ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 visits Ringaskiddy in Cork.
The occasion not only marked Cunard’s celebration of 150 years in business, but also the opening of the deep water terminal in the Port of Cork, the only port in the country which can handle an ocean liner the size of the QE2.
Ringaskiddy has been a source of environmental controversy due to the presence of numerous chemical factories in the area.
In his speech at the opening of the deep water terminal, Taoiseach Charles Haughey presented a strong message,
Here a modern dilemma of reconciling the needs of development and employment with protection, preservation and enhancement of our environment comes clearly into focus.
It is a problem we must come to grips with in a balanced way, without either succumbing to an excess of zeal on one side or negligence or arrogance on the other.
Following an Air Corps flypast, Mrs Maureen Haughey unveiled a plaque naming the terminal after her father Seán Lemass.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 23 July 1990. The reporter is Tom MacSweeney.
