Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I echo the sentiments of many Senators that the harbours are a very important part of coastal communities, providing recreation and commerce, and as a major asset in attracting tourism, especially for an island. They can be engines for growth and a sustainable source of good employment. Access to the sea brings many opportunities but it also brings the challenges of maintaining and growing that opportunity. It is unfortunate that some harbours have gone to rack and ruin which has a domino effect on some of our local economies. It is important that we do all we can to enhance and support the potential of harbours, particularly in their efforts to support growth and employment opportunities. For that reason, a harbour policy must have at its core a drive to maximise the potential of the harbours to support and encourage growth and job creation and, most importantly, to do so in a sustainable and environmentally sound way which incorporates the community in important decision-making.

This Bill is taking a step in the right direction. The Minister mentioned that oversight of these regionally significant ports should be devolved to the most appropriate level of government, which is the local authority. One concern raised by my colleague, Deputy Ellis, in the Dáil was that the Bill can be seen to be empowering local authority chief executive officers and less so the local councillors. The CEO is not elected and that person can often be at odds with the elected officials in local authorities who derive their mandate from the local community in democratic elections.

In what respect are we devolving oversight to the local authority? How much will go to the CEO? What is the balance between the councillors and the CEO? Studies by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, show that councils are very efficient at managing and overseeing local services because of their local know-how and expertise to complete the job at hand. They have the support of the public. It does not always work perfectly but our local authorities are more accountable than those in corporate spheres.

The Minister said this Bill tries to balance the commercial needs with democratic oversight. That needs to happen and it is a fine line to try to do that. Democratic oversight is an important ingredient in finding success in the management of the harbours but it also ensures success benefits the wider community which will last for generations. We need to get the balance right and make sure there is a greater level of democratic accountability.

We are told that the controls will be handed over to the local authority but can the Minister give us a picture of that in reality? Will control rest primarily with new bodies established by the CEOs of the local authorities? What accountability will there be to councillors as opposed to the CEO? Will there be adequate consultation on the directors nominated to each harbour? The Minister said the proposed chairperson will appear before members prior to formal appointment but is that just to question them? Is that the only role they may have? Concerns were raised in the other House about the board’s ability to sell off assets without consideration or oversight by local authorities. Could this lead to some damaging sell-offs that may be against the wishes of the local community? I welcome the role of the local authority members in overseeing the accounts of the harbour companies under section 19. I hope the link the Minister mentioned between this and section 23 is real and the councillors can employ this. Local authority members should be allowed to debate the accounts and have oversight of the audits of the harbour company. What role will local authorities have in respect of performance reviews, given their role in ensuring the provision of quality services and value for public money?

We support this legislation because it makes the harbour structure more democratic and accountable but I would like to hear the Minister’s response to some of the questions raised. He probably responded to them in the other House but I would like them to be included in the Official Report of the debate in this House. I look forward to debating the Bill further.