Vol. 548 No. 5
99 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources when he will appoint the Shannon-Foynes Port Company directors; if two of the 12 directors will be from Kerry County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5522/02]
It is my intention to appoint directors to the board of Shannon Foynes Port Company with effect from 3 March in accordance with section 30 of the Harbours Act, 1996.
Section 30(6) of the Act provides that the Minister shall appoint three members each of whom has been nominated by a prescribed local authority to be a director of a company. As Minister I have no discretion under the statute as to the number of local authorities who can nominate members for appointment to port company boards.
In the case of the Shannon Foynes Port Company the relevant local authorities have been prescribed in accordance with the Port Companies (Appointment of Local Authority Directors) Regulations, 2002, which were laid before the Oireachtas on 13 February. These regulations provide for the nomination of one director each from Clare County Council, Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council.
In prescribing the three local authorities as nominating bodies, I took into account the criteria for selection put in place in 1996 with the agreement of the then Minister for the Environment. I have asked my Department to forward a copy of the criteria to the Deputy for his information.
