Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On the Deputy's point concerning the local authority, members of the local authority may vote in any way they wish but this Bill offers the best possible way to meet the needs of the port. We are proposing to increase the power and role of a local authority vis-à-visthe port. Why would a local authority decline to accept that proposal? I hope it will at least consider the issue before voting on the issue.

The Deputy is correct that the designation of a port as a port of national or regional significance is a matter of policy for the Government. Their participation in the trans-European transport networks, TEN-T, categories is not a matter of policy but independent of the designation of port on which the Government decides.

I am pleased the Deputy is giving me an opportunity to answer his questions. To participate in TEN-T a port must meet at least one of a number of criteria. The full set of criteria is as follows: the port exceeds 0.1% of total passenger volume for all ports in the European Union; it exceeds 0.1% of total cargo volume for all ports in the Union; it is located on an island and provides the sole point of access to a NUTS III region in the comprehensive network; and it is located in an outermost region or a peripheral area outside a radius of 200 km from the nearest other port in the comprehensive network.