Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 April 2013
264. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of new State bodies that have been established under the aegis of his Department since February, 2011; the number of such bodies subject to a sunset clause; the number of new public bodies currently being planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18344/13]
View answerOn 31st December 2012, the assets and business of Shannon Airport were transferred from the Dublin Airport Authority to the Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) to allow for the future merger of SAA with a restructured Shannon Development. It is planned to form a new integrated Shannon entity in public ownership at which point SAA will cease to exist as will Shannon Development. There have not been any other new bodies established under this Department's responsibility in the period since February 2011.
In addition, a number of Public Bodies have been merged. Dublin Tourism has been merged with its parent body - Fáilte Ireland. Coaching Ireland has been subsumed into the Irish Sports Council. The Government decided in May 2012 that Shannon Development’s tourism functions should transfer to Fáilte Ireland and this process is underway.
Dundalk Port Company was merged with Dublin Port Company on 12 July 2011. Tralee and Fenit Harbour Authority transferred to the control of Kerry County Council with effect from 1 October 2011. Baltimore and Skibbereen Harbour and Kinsale Harbour transferred to the control of Cork County Council, while Arklow Harbour transferred to the control of Wicklow County Council, with effect from 1st January 2012. The Board of Harbour Commissioners ceased to exist in each case. The current intention is that the last remaining harbour under the auspices of my Department, Bantry Bay, will be transferred to a more appropriate governance framework over the course of the next year.
Further to the above, there are a number of agencies under the aegis of my Department that are planned to be merged or restructured under the Government's agency rationalisation programme. Details of these can be found on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's website http://per.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/Rationalisation-Details.pdf.
