Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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269. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he sees potential in the development of Foynes Port as a hub for transatlantic freight transportation, the marine equivalent of the Shannon free zone; if his Department has explored the idea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15811/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware the Shannon Estuary is one of the finest, natural deep-water resources on the island. Shannon Foynes Port Company is the State commercial port company tasked with the management of shipping within the Estuary and is designated as a Port of National Significance (Tier 1) in National Ports Policy and as a ‘core’ port within the European Union’s Trans-European Transport Network. In November 2013 Minister of State for Housing and Planning Jan O'Sullivan launched the Strategic Integrated Framework Plan for the Shannon Estuary which was commissioned by the local authorities, Shannon Development and Shannon Foynes Port Company as part of the Mid-West Regional Planning Guidelines. The Plan sets out an overall strategy for the proper sustainable growth, development and environmental management of the Shannon Estuary for the next 30 years. Additionally Shannon Foynes Port Company has also produced its own development masterplan entitled 'Vision 2041'. This plan was developed taking cognisance of, and is consistent with, the outputs of the Strategic Integrated Framework Plan. The Plan refers to the potential of the Estuary in developing as a transhipment hub and seeks to provide the policy framework to safeguard the critical deep-water channels and facilitate the sustainable growth of the required deep-water berths. The Plan also designates a total of nine strategic development locations for marine related industry and large scale industrial development around the Estuary as a whole. It is Government policy that all port infrastructure development must be funded on a commercial basis without recourse to the Exchequer; however, the Strategic Integrated Framework Plan is a good example of inter-Governmental co-operation designed to facilitate future sustainable economic growth and provides potential investors with a clear vision of the Estuary's future potential.