Mr. Ray Lawlor:

I believe I have the capability to bring the board with me on decisions concerning the sale of or the merger of the port. In my time involved in various business organisations, I have always been capable of getting consensus among members of committees or councils to take what I believed was the right decision at the time. This would not be the first instance the company has had to make difficult decisions and neither would it be the first instance since I have been on the board. At the New Ross Port Company’s request several years ago, the Department was requested to have our directors’ fees reduced because company revenues had dropped. It was the board, with the co-operation of the staff, which introduced the last redundancy scheme and which reduced the company’s cost base drastically. I do believe I have the capability to bring the board with me on similar decisions.

There are no major dredging requirements. There is ongoing maintenance dredging that is funded out of cash flow. Any company that uses the heavy infrastructure that ports do would always have a capital requirement for expansion and maintenance. The majority of jetties in New Ross Port are in private ownership so their maintenance is the responsibility of the private owners. The New Ross Port Company jetty was in good condition in 2009, so I believe there should be no problems with it.

I believe the new board will be examining strategic alliances with other ports. It would be of a major advantage on a national basis.

To a certain extent, I have always found in business, particularly in niche markets, that those alliances will happen because it is advantageous to the customer. Deputy Harrington is correct in stating that the customer will go to the port offering the best value. It may not necessarily be the lowest price but it will be to the best advantage of that particular customer. In bringing in a particular type of dry bulk such as fertilisers, coal, animal feed, one will always look for where one will get the best advantage for one's business.

As I mentioned, New Ross Port Company has a low cost base because of the last redundancy scheme. It has been well managed to date. I pay tribute to the outgoing board, particularly the outgoing chairman, Mr. Mark Minihan, whom I know well. From what I have seen, they have done an excellent job to date.

If there is one area sticking out in which the cost base could be improved, it is that the River Barrow estuary still has a dual pilotage authority, with the New Ross pilotage authority and the Waterford pilotage authority. It is one area on which, if appointed chair, I would very much like to work with the board. Having two pilots on the one river for one ship movement is difficult to sell to customers.