Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The question relates to the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company. I expect to bring a memorandum to Government in the coming weeks in regard to the appointment of a chairperson for the harbour company. Following this, the individual will be required to appear before the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications prior to their appointment being confirmed. The occasion of their appearance and the questions that will be asked of the chairperson designate will be a matter for the committee itself.

Requiring all newly nominated chairpersons to appear before the relevant Oireachtas committees is in line with broader Government reform proposals in the area of State board appointments. These initiatives include a public invitation for expressions of interest in serving on State boards.  Furthermore, on the appointment of board members to the individual port companies, I now issue them with a letter of mandate setting out the issues and priorities to which they should have regard in carrying out their functions, subject to their fiduciary duties under the Companies Act.

As the Deputy is aware, the new national ports policy, which I launched, provides a coherent framework for all State-owned ports to allow for their future development in a manner that suits their individual circumstances. Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company has been designated as a port of regional significance and will be transferred to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in due course. In the interim, the port will continue to operate and carry on its day-to-day business as normal.

The successful completion of this transfer process will be the key priority for the incoming chairperson.  My letter of mandate to the incoming chairperson will clearly set out this priority. In addition, the letter of mandate will request that the incoming chairperson will, first, appear before the relevant Oireachtas committee as requested, second, pay due regard to the totality of Government policy in the area of CEO remuneration in any board decisions on the matter, and third, with regard to consideration of the future development of the port company, ensure that it is carried out in a prudent fashion.

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