Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

No, we are discussing local authority members. There are no local authority members on Dublin Airport Authority, Cork Airport Authority or Shannon Airport Authority. The ports are the only commercial State bodies which have local authority members as of right. We are bringing the ports into line with other commercial State bodies. Local authorities do not nominate directors to the boards of other commercial State companies such as the airports.

To ensure smaller and more focused boards which are more commercial, it is proposed to repeal the provision allowing for the nomination or election of three local authority directors to each board. It is felt this will be a good measure and will help the port companies to be seen to operate on a fully commercial basis. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Noel Dempsey, has stated it is his intention to continue to appoint a local authority member from among his statutory appointees to port companies.