Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will confirm that land owned by the harbour commissioners and boards and port authorities is held in trust on behalf of his Department, on behalf of the public; and the annual review process undertaken by his Department on the work being carried out by the harbour boards, commissioners and port authorities on his behalf. [15751/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently ten State owned port commercial companies set up under the Harbours Acts 1996 to 2000. The State has a 100% shareholding in each of the companies and they are regarded as State assets. Under the Act, decisions regarding the disposal and purchase of land are primarily a matter for the companies' boards. Each of the port companies is required to publish an audited annual report and accounts. The annual reports are reported on to Government and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. There are ten regional harbours, which are State assets. These harbours are managed under the Harbours Act 1946 by a harbour authority composed of commissioners whose duties include the management, control, maintenance and operation of the harbour.

Policy in relation to the regional harbours, as published in the Ports Policy Statement in 2005, is that the continued operation of the regional harbours under the outdated provisions of the Harbours Act 1946 is unsustainable on the grounds of good governance and that most of these harbours would best achieve their potential through their transfer to local authority ownership. Where it is not possible to reach agreement on transfer to local authorities, the option of sale of the harbours will be considered. In harbours where significant commercial traffic exists, consideration will be given to bringing such harbours under the control of a port company.

Three Harbour Authorities (Annagassan, Dingle and Sligo) have already ceased to exist in accordance with the above policy. In the case of Dingle, it has been designated as a Fisheries Harbour Centre. For over three years now, my Department has been funding essential works to protect the fabric of the regional harbours at an average cost of approximately €4m per annum pending the transfer of the harbours to local control. The harbour commissioners are required to produce annual accounts and these are subject to audit by the Local Government Auditor.