I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 133 together.
I have not appointed a task force to study congestion at Dublin Port.
Dublin Port is under the control and management of Dublin Port Company, which is in State ownership. The company is one of ten port companies established under the Harbours Acts 1996 and 2000 and operating under the aegis of the Department. The Harbours Acts provide that the principal objects of each of these companies include the provision of such facilities, services, accommodation and lands in its harbour for ships, goods and passengers as it considers necessary.
Ireland's commercial ports are vital transport arteries, carrying 99% by volume of our external trade. However, the internal resources of our commercial ports are not sufficient in general to fund large-scale infrastructure projects.
The Department has drafted a comprehensive ports policy statement, which subject to Government approval, I intend to publish in the near future. One of the major policy areas addressed by the policy statement will be how to meet the predicted deficit in seaport capacity.
The Department has commissioned independent consultants, Baxter Eadie Limited, to prepare a series of reports on seaport capacity and future projected capacity needs. Earlier this year, Baxter Eadie Limited prepared a desk study update in order to identify the effect Ireland's changing economic circumstances has had on projected capacity needs at the seaports. The study takes into account current economic growth projections and looks at capacity up to 2014.
Looking to 2014, the study has found that traffic is expected to grow by 16.2 million tonnes, some 35% over tonnage handled in 2003, while growth in capacity over the same period is projected at a very low level, about 1% over the period. These projections are based on known changes, which have full approval for implementation and do not include any other plans for infrastructure improvements. A capacity shortfall of 12.2 million tonnes is projected by 2014. The consultants state that the situation warrants decisions and further action in order to avoid increasing delays and congestion in some ports, particularly for unit load cargoes.
The Department recognises that the study by Baxter Eadie Limited is necessarily an inexact exercise, the implications of which will need to be checked against actual experience in each of the ports.
In the context of the ports policy statement, I will be recommending to the Government that a policy framework be put in place to ensure that capacity needs are identified, planned and progressed in a co-ordinated manner.
The proposal by Dublin Port Company for the provision of a new port facility on the northern side of the port would fall to be considered within this proposed policy framework along with all other proposals from the public and private sectors to address the potential capacity deficit. Development of port facilities at ports other than Dublin will have no bearing on the assessment under the foreshore legislation of the application from Dublin Port Company to reclaim 21 hectares which is currently before the Department.
