Anne Ferris (Wicklow, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

572. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will publish the Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2014, to provide for the transfer of certain port companies to local authority control; if a timeframe has been set for the transfer of control of the port companies in question; if any decisions have been made on the nature of the subsequent relationship between the port companies and the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43074/14]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

One of the principal recommendations of the National Ports Policy, published in March 2013, is the proposed transfer of five Ports of Regional Significance to local authority control.

Government approved the Heads of the Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2014 in May. In recent weeks the Joint Oireachtas Committee considered the Heads and published a report of its recommendations and the Heads are now ready for preparation by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel.

A copy of the Heads is available on my Department's website. The Bill will provide the necessary primary legislative basis to effect the transfers by later Ministerial Order. I anticipate bringing the Bill before the Oireachtas in 2015.

Officials have been meeting with ports, local authorities and others to discuss the proposed transfer arrangements and they will continue to engage with stakeholders as the drafting of the Bill progresses. The role of the Chief Executive who will exercise the shareholder function, and the role of the Councils in relation to the ports that will be transferred, is currently under discussion.