The chief executive of the Dublin Port Authority yesterday told an Oireachtas committee there would be no net loss of land to the port by the sale of 32 acres of port land for the National Convention Centre and other residential and commercial development.

When pressed by members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government to explain "the riddle of the 32 acres", Enda Connellan said he could "not answer those questions at the moment".

"I'm not at liberty to disclose that," he said of his claim.

Fine Gael TD Padraic McCormack said Mr Connellan's statement was "like the miracle of the loaves and the fishes".

The committee was told that at the same time the sale of the 32 acre site was being planned, Dublin Port Authority wanted to reclaim 21 hectares in Dublin Bay because the port needed more land for ferry terminals.

The application, which would comprise an area representing 7.5 per cent of the total 640-acre port estate, is with the Department of Marine and Dublin City Council. It is opposed by environmental group Dublin Bay Watch.

Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe said it was "incredible" that Mr Connellan could give a lengthy address to the committee on the proposal to reclaim land in Dublin Bay for more ferry terminals and neglect to mention that a sale of such a large tract of the port, currently occupied by the P&O terminal, was under discussion.

"I'm sorry, I don't even trust you if you don't mention that there is a cosy deal being organised behind closed doors with developers," he told Mr Connellan.

Mr Connellan earlier told the committee that if the application to reclaim the tract of Dublin Bay was rejected, the port would run out of capacity by 2007.