Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will outline national policy on the development of Irish ports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16526/06]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Current Government policy regarding the port sector is outlined in the ports policy statement which I launched while serving as Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in January 2005. This document identifies important policy issues to be addressed in the short to medium term.

The policy statement aims to better equip the port sector and its stakeholders to meet national and regional capacity and service needs. Its key elements include clearer and more focused commercial mandates for the ports and their boards, encouragement of private sector investment and involvement, sanction for the use of non-core assets to fund new port development but not to mask inefficiencies, encouragement of healthy competitive conditions within and between ports and better consultation and dispute resolution between port companies and users through appropriate information sharing and arbitration mechanisms.

The policy statement also identifies as a key challenge the provision of adequate in-time port capacity, particularly for unitised trade. A framework is set out to ensure that capacity needs are identified, planned and progressed in aco-ordinated manner.

A study is under way in my Department to examine future capacity requirements, particularly for unitised trade. The purpose of this process is to help determine whether the anticipated capacity requirements can be met through the successful advancement and implementation by the port sector of some combination of the various proposals currently under development in the sector. It is intended to finalise a report in the coming months.

A number of measures outlined in the policy statement will require legislative changes and a new harbours Bill to provide for such changes is included in the Department's legislative programme.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I wish to pursue a question in respect of Dublin Port, which applied for a foreshore licence to increase its berthage through land reclamation in 1998. The port authorities are still awaiting a response to that application and have been indicating for some time that the port will reach its full capacity early next year. While one might be able to erect a tent at Dublin Airport, one cannot do so at Dublin Port.

What is the Government's intention regarding the provision of future port capacity for the Dublin area? As I am sure the Minister of State is aware, well over half of our goods, both imports and exports, go through Dublin Port. While we have additional capacity available at other ports around the country, approximately 70% of the goods coming through Dublin Port are going into or coming directly out of Dublin. A Dublin solution is required. What is the Government's plan to provide such a solution? Will a response to the application for a foreshore licence be forthcoming, one way or the other? The port authorities deserve to know what will happen in the future.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's question was a general one relating to ports and the Government policy thereon. Dublin is included in that. As an indication of the importance of Dublin Port, while 99% of goods goes through all our ports, approximately 59% of our lift on-lift off traffic goes through Dublin, as does almost 80% of our roll on-roll off traffic. Dublin Port accounts for approximately 50% of both throughput and turnover of the State's port companies.

The purpose of the Government's decision on the ports policy statement was to conduct an audit to establish capacity and future requirements throughout the country. Dublin Port is integral to that. We appointed a company to assist us and it will report shortly. It received development proposals from a number of ports, bearing in mind a substantial increase in capacity will be required to cater for the increase in exports and imports up to and beyond 2014. We are victims of our success and the tremendous growth in the economy over the years, which the most objective observers state will continue for a further ten or 15 years and, hopefully, more.

I presume Deputy Mitchell refers to the 52 hectares and the application to the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources for the necessary approval.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Twenty-one hectares.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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No decision has been taken on that. It will be interesting to see from the report which will be made available to us by Fisher Associates what the demands on and proposals for Dublin will be. We should await the outcome of that, which should not take more than two or three months, and then establish what Dublin will require in the future.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Why must the needs of Dublin be established when the Department was told eight years ago? This Fisher report seems to go into a level of detail of analysis which has little relevance for Government if this involves the independent companies established by legislation. They have made decisions on their future requirements and all they need is a "yes" or "no" from Government. They have waited eight years and it is unacceptable to tell them to wait longer when the Government knows they are running out of capacity.

The decision was made by spending €1 billion to build a tunnel to service a port. One way or another, Dublin deserves to know what its future will be. I know the Minister of State's companions in Government have other plans and have stated them, but we want to know the Government's view, in fairness to everyone investing in businesses in Dublin and throughout the country who must get their goods to market in time.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Regarding the ports policy statement, we must consider the macro situation and the capacity of the State and the entire island. Some of our goods are imported and exported through Larne and Belfast. It is not as simple as one might think to take a decision on these 52 acres. It is all integrated.

I do not want to give the impression that nothing happened in Dublin during the past eight years. Many developments took place. The board is progressive and has a business-like attitude under the chief executive Enda Connellan. The Government's view on overall capacity, including Dublin, will be made clear as soon as we receive the report from Fisher Associates.