John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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107. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the review of the national port policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34031/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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A review of the National Port Policy (2013) is underway within the Department of Transport.

The National Ports Policy has been successful in achieving many of its broad objectives including the categorisation of State-owned commercial companies into two tiers of national significance and ports of regional significance, the successful fostering of competition between commercial state ports and facilitating low barriers to market entry for shipping companies.

There have been many significant changes in the global ports and shipping environment in recent years. These changes necessitate new thinking to respond to emerging environmental, technological, demographic, and geopolitical challenges.

The first phase of the review of the National Ports Policy commenced with the publication of an 'Issues Paper' for public consultation on 19 October 2023. The Issues Paper identified twelve broad themes, including the future of port capacity, that require revised and updated policy responses to create a robust and purposeful framework for the years ahead.

I am pleased to note that over 70 responses to the consultation were received. The Department has assessed those responses to the Issues Paper and my officials are finalising a draft of the revised policy.

The revised policy will also be subject to the completion of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and related environmental screening.

I will engage with my officials in the coming weeks following the completion of an initial environmental assessment of the draft revised policy and will discuss the emerging policy recommendations with my colleague, Minister Darragh O'Brien T.D..

I would hope to go to a second phase of public consultation in the third quarter of this year where the draft revised policy will be published for further stakeholder feedback. I anticipate that the final revision of the National Ports Policy will be presented to Government in the first half of 2026.