asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether any investigations have been carried out into the problem of the future viability of western ports; and if he will make a statement outlining Government policy in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Port and Harbour Development.
3.
Responsibility for the viability of harbours rests, under the law, on the individual harbour authorities. I am not aware of what investigations, if any, the authorities for western ports have undertaken individually, or propose to undertake, into the question of viability other than a study undertaken by the Economist Intelligence Unit into Limerick port at the request of Limerick Harbour Commissioners in 1968.
It is Government policy in regard to harbours that they be operated as commercial undertakings and should be self-supporting. The Government expect that any investment at harbours should be related to the specific and identifiable requirements of new trade or industrial development and should not be undertaken merely by way of providing general facilities in the hope of attracting new and unspecified business.
4.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether he proposes to introduce any new legislation regarding harbours and harbour authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
General harbours legislation is embodied in the Harbours Act, 1946 as amended and extended by the Harbours Act, 1947. Certain matters have come to notice from time to time which may call for amendment, in due course, of the present legislation but none of these is of sufficient urgency to warrant the introduction of special amending legislation at the present time. As intimated in my reply to the Deputy on 10th June, 1970, special legislation would be necessary to create the proposed single harbour authority for the Shannon estuary when this course is agreed upon.