John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 1069: To ask the Minister for Transport the finance which has been put in place for further expansion of the five main ports; the provisions which were put in place for said finance prior to the ports being moved to the Department of Transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29064/06]

John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 1103: To ask the Minister for Transport the finance which has been put in place for further expansion of the five main ports; the proposals and planning which are in place for further expansion of the ports; when said ports will individually reach their full capacity; the person who has undertaken research on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29065/06]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1069 and 1103 together.

The Government's Ports Policy Statement, which I launched early last year, aims to better equip the port sector and its stakeholders to meet national and regional capacity and service needs. One of the key challenges that lie ahead is the provision of adequate in-time port capacity, particularly for unitised trade. The Policy Statement sets out a framework to ensure that capacity needs are identified, planned and progressed in a coordinated manner.

As indicated in the Ports Policy Statement, the Government expects that the port companies, as commercial entities, should be capable of funding their operations and infrastructure requirements without relying on Exchequer support. Such support would only be considered in cases where it was clearly demonstrated that State intervention was essential as the residual financier after opportunities available to the ports themselves (through efficiencies, optimum use of existing resources and port charge adjustments) and to the private sector (through direct investment and/or joint ventures) were exhausted and that the funding would contribute to national capacity requirements.

Further to the Ports Policy Statement, my Department appointed in September 2005 a firm of consultants expert in this field, Fisher Associates, to help determine whether the anticipated capacity requirement to 2014 and beyond can be efficiently and adequately met through the successful advancement and implementation by the port sector of some combination of the various proposals currently under development in the sector.

Detailed submissions outlining proposals for new capacity for unitised trade were received from the following ports and evaluated by Fisher Associates: Cork, Greenore, Dublin, Drogheda, Rosslare, Shannon Foynes and Waterford.

The final report of Fisher Associates was completed in June 2006. It is intended to publish the broad conclusions of the report in an Information Paper shortly, which will be available on my Department's website at www.transport.ie.