Vol. 555 No. 5
249 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the role he has in ensuring that conditions of employment, including remuneration of pilots and other staff of harbour authorities, are fair and equitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19290/02]
I assume the Deputy is referring to pilotage arrangements for the State's major commercial seaports whose access-egress require pilotage.
The ten State commercial ports, including Shannon-Foynes Port Company in the Deputy's area are statutorily responsible under the Harbours Act, 1996, for the management, control, operation and development of their harbours. Part IV of the Harbours Act, 1996 revised the law relating to pilotage and provided for the conferral of functions in relation to pilotage on certain State companies.
As regards the organisation of pilotage the responsibility was devolved to each port company with the option of employing pilots as members of its staff with the standard conditions of service and remuneration as applicable to all company staff or by licensing pilots to perform acts of pilotage within pilotage districts. As regards licensed pilots – which is the case in Shannon-Foynes Port Company – the Harbours Act, 1996 provides that companies may determine and impose pilotage charges. It also provides for the collection and recovery of pilotage charges and disbursement of these charges with appropriate deductions and disbursements to each licensed pilot.
