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

I thank the Senators for their comments. Due to the level of consultation and the degree of work around this policy and this Bill, the national ports policy is in quite a rare position within the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport as being endorsed by both IBEC and ICTU. Senators made reference to the ability of ports to respond to economic opportunities and I could not agree more. This policy is also supported by the Irish Exporters Association and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. There is recognition that the policy tries to acknowledge that different ports play different roles in our economy and that we need to have a policy which reflects that.

My colleagues made some very good points. I thank Senator Barrett for noting the role of due diligence and how that will address some of the points to which reference has been made. We must ensure that we do not find ourselves in a place where Ministers are surrounded by people who tell them what they think said Ministers want to hear. That does not feel like the case with this policy because I have had much feedback on it which I know has prompted the Senators' contributions. The policy gives us the best platform to respond to the changes taking place in how countries export and import, a matter of which I know the Senators are aware. In regard to the points raised by Senator Healy Eames, I thank her for acknowledging the point I have made in respect of the 18 months. I always have to say this and I know the Senator believes the same, but nothing I say about this port or any other is in any way seeking to be involved or to be seen to interfere with the role of An Bord Pleanála and the independent work it does. I put that on the record as a comment on the port about which the Senator asked questions.

In relation to the TEN-T funding, the criteria are it is for annual passenger traffic volume which exceeds 0.1% of that for the European Union or total annual cargo volume which exceeds 0.1% of that for the European Union; that it is located on an island and provides the sole point of access to a region in the comprehensive network; and that the port is located in the outermost region or a peripheral area outside a radius of 200 km from the nearest other port in the comprehensive network. The classification for our ports as to whether they are tier 2 or tier 3 is entirely independent of these criteria. If a port meets those criteria or if it can put the case to the Commission for meeting the criteria and persuade it of that fact, it will be in a position to access that funding but it is not influenced by a classification that we are giving it.

Senator Jim Walsh touched on the change that is taking place and how our ports perform. He offered his views on different ports. Different Senators will have different views on that. I would make the point that when I or a future Minister seek to make a decision on the mode of integration of a port into the local authority, the choice that is made has to reflect the commercial reality that the port faces. For a port that has a significant tonnage business, that has plans and the ability and can credibly grow that in the future, then a model of the retention of that port as a company within the local authority is the most appropriate one.

For ports whose future is best delivered in integration within the local authority and in the development plans of that local authority, then one of complete integration and the dissolution of the company into the local authority could be right for them. The answer will depend on the ability and the prospects of that port.

That leads back to the two points Senator Craughwell put to me. I know that councillors who are on some port board and who may be on the boards of ports in the future will not be happy with the direction in which this Bill is going. I can assure the Senator that those councillors in the local authorities who are not on those boards - there are many more of them - will be given an opportunity, through different sections of the Bill, to engage in the kind of oversight and relationship with these port companies which any Member of the Oireachtas can do if a member of the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. I hope the Senator will consider that is a very significant change versus where we are at the moment.