Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Transport when he will publish his study of Dublin Port; his views on plans to move Dublin Port and develop a new residential and commercial development on port lands; if he will bring forward a green paper on Irish ports; when he will bring the Harbours Bill before Dáil Éireann in order to facilitate the plans of the Drogheda Port Company; if separate legislation is necessary to establish Bremore Port; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23315/08]

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 111: To ask the Minister for Transport the status and progress to date of the proposed new Drogheda Port at Bremore; if legislation is needed to establish same; if so, when it will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23403/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 111 and together.

The National Development Plan provides for a comprehensive study of the role of Dublin Port, taking account of locational considerations, in the context of overall ports policy on the island of Ireland, wider transport policy, urban development policy, the National Spatial Strategy and national economic policy.

My Department is in the process of recruiting consultants to carry out the study. It is intended to have the study completed within a six-month period.

Dublin Port is a vital piece of economic infrastructure. In tonnage terms, it handles roughly 40% of the seaborne trade in and out of the State. In value terms it is even more significant. In 2006, it handled 79% of the State's RoRo traffic and 62% of the container traffic.

Clearly, the future role of Dublin Port is of major strategic importance to the economy. It is much more than a local or regional issue and requires further examination at a strategic level. The study of the port under the NDP will provide this strategic level examination.

The Ports Policy Statement was published in 2005. Ports policy continues to be implemented as outlined in the statement and I have no plans to bring forward a Green Paper on the subject for the present.

In January 2008, the Government approved the General Scheme of the Harbours (Amendment) Bill. The Bill is currently being drafted and I expect to have it published in the coming months.

The Bill will further support implementation of national ports policy and will update existing legislation. The Bill will, inter alia, facilitate development by Drogheda Port Company of a proposed new port facility at Bremore in Fingal County and any similar development that may arise in the future in respect of other ports.

Drogheda Port Company has selected a joint venture partner to progress the Bremore proposal. The Joint Venture proposal is in line with established ports policy. The further feasibility, commercial and regulatory work required for such a proposal is being advanced at present.