Vol. 544 No. 4
79 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources his proposals for the high level review of the adequacy and appropriateness of the current model for the governance of the ports sector; when he expects the review to commence and be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28935/01]
I recently announced a high level review of the State commercial ports operating under the Harbours Act, 1996 to 2000. The review will be undertaken by suitably qualified independent consultants. An invitation to tender was placed in the national press on 5 October 2001 and also in the OJEU. The closing date for receipt of tenders is 10 December 2001. It is intended to complete the evaluation process and to award the commission within four weeks of the deadline for the receipt of tenders. The study is expected to take some three months from inception to final report.
The terms of reference require the appointed consultant to conduct a detailed evaluation of the adequacy of the current model for the governance of the State port companies, including the advisability of appointing a ports regulator, having regard to the need to have in place structures and approaches which ensure that the ports are incentivised to deliver high quality port products to stakeholders, particularly users; that the ports have access to appropriate funding to provide for capacity requirements in the medium to long-term; that appropriate competitive conditions exist within and between ports, which exert downward pressure on costs and charges for port, shipping and other port related services; the avoidance of inefficient monopolies developing, with potential upward pressure on costs and charges; and that the shareholder-management relationship is conducive to the development of a port sector which is fully supportive of the needs of our rapidly developing open economy.
