John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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71. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for investments in Irish ports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22991/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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In March 2013 I published a new National Ports Policy which is available from my Department's website. This document outlines a roadmap for the sector's future development.  With regard to future investment, there is no Exchequer funding available for port infrastructure development. Rather, as is stated in the National Ports Policy, the individual port companies must fund development proposals themselves without recourse to the Exchequer. This is settled Government policy  and no Exchequer funding has been provided to the port companies since the conclusion of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 funding programme. No budget line exists for such funding and were it decided to provide such funding, it would give rise to significant competition and state aid concerns. This document outlines a roadmap for the sector's future development.  With regard to future investment, there is no Exchequer funding available for port infrastructure development. Rather, as is stated in the National Ports Policy, the individual port companies must fund development proposals themselves without recourse to the Exchequer. This is settled Government policy and no Exchequer funding has been provided to the port companies since the conclusion of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 funding programme. No budget line exists for such funding and were it decided to provide such funding, it would give rise to significant competition and state aid concerns.  

The new Policy is clear that the response to future national port capacity requirements should be led by the three Ports of National Significance (Tier 1) - Dublin, Cork and Shannon Foynes port companies, when, where and as required. There is also a role for the two Ports of National Significance (Tier 2) - Port of Waterford Company and Rosslare Europort to develop additional capacity to aid competitive conditions, particularly within the unitised sectors.

While Exchequer funding is not available there are of course a variety of commercial funding options open to the companies, notwithstanding the current difficulties in the financing markets. National Ports Policy encourages greater private sector involvement and investment in our key Ports of National Significance and there may be possibilities arising through, for example, the use of concession type arrangements or other public-private partnership arrangements. In addition I raised the possibility of investing in our ports with officials from the European Investment Bank on their recent visit. Furthermore I was happy to endorse funding applications made by Dublin, Cork and Shannon Foynes port companies under the EU TEN-T programme earlier this year.

In relation to the Ports of Regional Significance, they will continue to develop in line with regional requirements.  Those Ports of Regional Significance that are currently under the aegis of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport will transfer to Local Authority control over the coming years. The future investment in those ports shall be a matter for the Local Authorities concerned.