Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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78. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will meet with a delegation of different interest groups from the greater Dún Laoghaire area to discuss plans for the future governance of Dún Laoghaire Harbour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15610/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The Harbours Act 2015 provides the legislative basis for one of the key recommendations in the National Ports Policy, namely that governance of the five Ports of Regional Significance should vest in more appropriate local authority led governance structures.  The process of transferring governance, and the future governance and operational structures of the port, are primarily matters for agreement between the local authority and the port company.  The Act provides that the two entities should work together in driving the process of transfer, including the necessary due diligence.  In the case of Dun Laoghaire, I understand that this process is now well advanced.

As ports operate as commercial companies, I am not involved in day to day operational issues.  Nor is it appropriate for me to meet directly with local authorities or local interest groups on these issues.  However, I can confirm that a widespread public consultation process was undertaken by my officials from 2010 onwards, prior to the publication of the National Ports Policy 2013, and again during the legislative process leading up to the enactment of the Harbours Act 2015.  Other public consultation processes were undertaken  by the port company on a range of issues and provided an opportunity for all stakeholders and interested parties to give their views on the future of the harbour.

Since 2013, when the transfer process commenced, senior officials from my Department have met with Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company, and the CE and senior officials of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, on a number of occasions, to clarify issues raised and to advise on the transfer process.  My Department has also been kept apprised of developments as part of the regular communications that take place between the company and shareholder.