Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to advise that this meeting is being carried live on Virgin Media channel 207, eirVision channel 504 and Sky channel 574. Members are requested to switch off their mobile phones. Apologies have been received from Deputy Helen McEntee and Deputy Tom Fleming who has nominated Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett as his substitute for consideration of this Bill. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The meeting has been convened to consider the Harbours Bill 2015. The purpose of the Bill is to provide for the transfer of share holdings in certain port companies to local authorities, the transfer of certain port companies to local authority control, the dissolution of certain port companies, to amend and extend the Harbours Acts 1996 to 2015, to repeal the Harbours Acts 1946 and 1947, to amend the Merchant Shipping Act 1992 and the Fishery Harbour Centres Act 1968 and to provide for connected matters.

I welcome the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe and his officials to the meeting.