Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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1159. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for Dún Laoghaire Harbour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21412/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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​As the Deputy is aware, National Ports Policy states that Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company, as with the four other Ports of Regional Significance, will transfer to local authority led governance structures. I expect to seek Government approval of the text of the new Harbours Bill very shortly. The new Bill will provide the legal basis for a later Ministerial order to effect the actual transfer in each case. The Bill is designed to provide maximum legislative flexibility. It will not prescribe the model of transfer in any particular case, but instead will allow for the most appropriate model of governance to be chosen in respect of each individual port. The optimal manner of transfer will be the one which finds broad consensus and agreement between the parties.

The Bill will provide two possible methods of transfer: 1. A transfer of shareholding and continuation of the existing company structure; or 2, a dissolution of the company structure and full integration with local authority structures.

My Department is funding a due diligence process which was procured by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and commenced recently.  The outcome of the due diligence will assist the strategic consideration of all relevant issues.