Vol. 484 No. 4
60 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the investment, if any, in developing Dublin port's capacity for material handling; the current capacity in lift on/lift off and roll on/roll off; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22103/97]
The Deputy will be aware that on 3 March 1997 Dublin Port Company was one of eight ports vested as a commercial semi-State company under the Harbours Act, 1996. The new Dublin Port Company now operates as a statutory independent commercial enterprise with a mandate to manage and operate the port to the highest standards of efficiency and cost competitiveness.
The ongoing investment programme for Dublin Port of some £36 million until 1999 is being co-financed, through my Department, by the EU from the Operational Programme for Transport, the Ireland-Wales Maritime INTERREG Community Initiative and the Cohesion Fund.
The Deputy will appreciate that as a commercial entity, Dublin Port Company's long-term development plans for the port are commercially sensitive.
Dublin Port is a multimodel port catering for all cargo modes, as well as for passengers. In terms of capacity I am pleased to inform the Deputy that projected outturns of throughput in 1997 will amount to a record 16.8 million tonnes.
