James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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1728. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason Rosslare Europort cannot get separate funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24437/16]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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1729. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if moneys (details supplied) can be reinvested back into Rosslare Europort to facilitate future development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24438/16]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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1730. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of employees where an outside company is to take over the running of Rosslare Europort; if they will be entitled to redundancy packages and to seek re-employment with a new company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24439/16]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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1731. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if Rosslare Europort can become an independent body within CIÉ similar to Irish Rail and Dublin Bus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24440/16]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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1732. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if it is correct that the part of the Indecon Report which suggested an investment of moneys has now been withdrawn; if so, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24441/16]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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1733. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is still proceeding with the privatisation of the workings of Rosslare Europort as recommended by the Indecon Report commissioned by the previous Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24442/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1728 to 1733, inclusive, together.

Rosslare Europort is unique among Irish Ports as it is not operated as a commercial port company under the Harbours Acts but operates instead as a business unit of Iarnród Éireann. This is due to the Port’s complicated legal history. It technically remains part of the Fishguard and Rosslare Harbours and Railways Company: a company established by a series of statutes of the United Kingdom parliament dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This unusual legal status has often been identified as an inhibiting factor in the Port’s development.

Iarnród Éireann has invested significant funds in the Port over the years. However, for the reasons outlined previously, it is the case that the Port does not enjoy the same financial autonomy as other ports in Ireland.

Previous studies of the Port have outlined a number of options for its potential development, one of which has been the establishment of a separate company within CIE. The restrictive legal regime which governs the operation of the Port is, however, a significant barrier to the creation of such a body.

With these issues in mind and with a view to identifying how the Port’s interests would be best served into the future, in 2013 the Department commissioned Indecon economic consultants to conduct a strategic review of the Port. Their report concluded that the creation of an independent port authority would be extremely difficult given the Port’s complex legal structure. Instead, it was recommended that the Port remain in public ownership and that the possibilities for increased private sector involvement be investigated. Should there be any such change in the status of the Port, its employees would, of course, be covered by all relevant employment legislation.

In order to assist Iarnród Éireann's overall consideration of how best to move forward, it engaged consultants in late 2015 who presented interim findings to the company in early 2016. Those findings include a number of issues which require further consideration and the Department is engaging with the company and the Office of the Attorney General on those issues with a view to a satisfactory resolution.