Written Answers. - Port Development.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
63
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources
the degree to which port and harbour development is required; the plans, if any, he has to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21945/98]
The Department of the Marine and Natural Resources has overseen the transformation of the Irish commercial seaports over the past ten years. This transformation has been achieved by a number of major investment programmes (the Operational Programme for Peripherality 1989 to 1993 and the Operational Programme for Transport 1994 to 1999, (OPT), the Cohesion Fund and the Ireland/Wales Maritime INTERREG Programme, 1994 to 1999); introduction of new legislation to commercialise the major ports; linking of grant aid to the removal of major institutional bottlenecks in seaports.
Over the ten year period from 1989 to 1999, the total investment in ports under all of the programmes listed above is estimated to be £220 million, of which some £163 million will have been expended under the current round of OPT, Cohesion and INTERREG initiatives.
The development of the ports industry could not have been achieved without grant assistance under the above programmes. The scale of the various funding programmes reflects the low level of investment in the ports industry generally before the programmes were put in place.
Notwithstanding these past achievements, there still remain a number of important deficiencies to be addressed in the ports industry. Ports have inadequate facilities to cope with continued massive growth which is forecast in the unitised modes in particular. Competitive forces between ports need to be strengthened. Continued reductions in port costs will maximise competition between ports; scope exists to increase efficiency levels to maximise the use of existing infrastructure. Irish ports need to continue to reduce cost levels to the lowest levels achieved in the best ports internationally. There is scope for further rationalisation of the port sector through, for example, co-operation agreements between adjacent State ports to maximise services and cost efficiencies to port users.
Although investment in ports has greatly improved the capacity and quality of port facilities, the level of growth in Ireland's international trade and in port activity underlines the need for continued investment.
In order to determine the needs of the port industry, my Department commissioned two detailed studies in the key areas of port costs and future capacity requirements over the past year: an assessment of costs and charges at commercial seaports; an assessment of Irish commercial seaport capacity.
Both studies point clearly to the need for a third national port development programme as part of the National Development Plan, 2000-2006.
Based on the examination of the port industries' importance to the economy and of its development needs over the period to 2007, it is clear that a substantial investment programme is required for ports.
A number of complementary measures have been developed which will seek to maximise the use of existing facilities and infrastructure, and ensure sufficient new infrastructure is added as demand grows.
Following a comprehensive consultation process involving all commercial seaports including regional seaports, port and maritime infrastructural development projects have been identified and costed in the context of possible funding allocations under the next round of EU Structural Funding post 1999.
Regional Ports
In relation to regional ports, my Department commissioned independent consultants in October last to undertake a major independent review of the State's regional ports and harbours. The study will cover all State ports and harbours with a commercial traffic of less than 250,000 tonnes.
The Government's An Action Programme for the Millennium commits to a marine policy which aims to secure and enhance the livelihoods of the coastal communities who depend on the sea for their future. In this context I am committed fully to harnessing, to the fullest extent possible, the development potential of our State regional ports and harbours. As part of a modernisation process we need to look at all possible options for their development and management. They are an extremely valuable resource and our aim must be to facilitate appropriate adjustment strategies where this will create jobs and provide opportunities for local development and the local coastal communities.
The time has come to chart the way forward for these ports and set out a long-term, coherent and sustainable development strategy for their future and the people who rely on them directly and indirectly for their livelihoods. We need to decide the best and most suitable development options including possible local authority control in terms of their ownership, financing and activities/operations.
The findings of the review will also inform future investment decisions and requirements at the State regional ports.
