Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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239. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the detail of the recent meeting between his Department officials and the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company with regard to the risk assessment being carried out by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council prior to any transfer of governance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22249/17]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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240. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans or timelines for the planned change of governance of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company in line with the Harbours Act 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22250/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 together.

As the Deputy is aware, the Chief Executive of the Council presented the due diligence report, relating to the planned transfer of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company, at the Council meeting held on 9 January 2017.

As the due diligence report raised a number of issues for further clarification, the Chief Executive engaged a risk and finance consultant to carry out a Risk Assessment.  This will enable the Council to fully understand the implications of models of transfer, and the responsibility that will transfer in financial and other terms.

Officials from my Department met with the Risk Assessor on 31 January 2017 to give the shareholder perspective on National Ports Policy, and to explain the different models of transfer.

Since then, I understand that both the Council and the port have engaged in the process, but clarification was sought from my officials in April in relation to whether there was a necessity to have a Non Disclosure Agreement signed regarding commercially sensitive information held by the port.

My officials met with the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company CEO and the Company Secretary on 11 April 2017 to progress matters and a way forward was agreed.

When the risk assessment process is completed, it is expected that matters will then progress towards agreeing a model and date of transfer.