Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will report on the recent decision to select a company (details supplied) to build the new Bremore deep water port; when he plans to amend the Harbours Act 1996 to facilitate the development of Bremore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32791/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Drogheda Port Company has for some years been developing a proposal for a new port facility at Bremore in Fingal County. The company conducted an open competition to select a preferred joint venture partner. The competition elicited considerable interest in the market and Castle Market Holdings, a subsidiary of Real Estate Opportunities Limited, were selected after a detailed evaluation and shortlisting process. An amendment of the Harbours Act 1996 will be necessary to enable formal legal consent to be given to the joint venture. More generally, the existing legislation is more than ten years old and requires updating.

My Department has made substantial progress in preparing the Heads of a new Harbours Bill to further support implementation of ports policy and to update existing legislation. I propose to seek early Government approval for the drafting of the Bill and I intend to pursue its enactment as quickly as possible.