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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Nov 1992

Vol. 424 No. 8

Written Answers. - Commerial Harbours and Pilotage Policy Legislation.

Louis J. Belton

Ceist:

21 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for the Marine if he intends that the report of the Review Group on Commercial Harbours will form the basis of new legislation for portal authorities.

Toddy O'Sullivan

Ceist:

47 Mr. T. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Marine when he proposes to bring legislation before Dáil Éireann arising from the Murphy Report relating to ports and harbours; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

48 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Marine the consultations he has had to date on the Report of the Review Group on Commercial Harbours and pilotage policy and legislation; and if he has any immediate plans to introduce legislation to establish semi-State companies to run the 12 harbours listed in the report.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 47 and 48 together.

The report of the Review Group on Commercial Harbours and Pilotage Policy Legislation was published on 6 July 1992. Following publication of the report I had detailed discussions with the social partners, the major harbour authorities and port pilots about the review group's report, the development of ports and the need to improve their commerciality.

Legislation is at present being prepared to bring about a major reorganisation of commercial ports. The new Harbours Bill, which will be designed to facilitate commercialisation, will: set up commercial State companies to manage the ports of Dublin, Dún Laoghaire, Wicklow, Arklow, New Ross, Waterford, Cork, Foynes, Limerick/Shannon Estuary, Galway, Dundalk and Drogheda; provide for the reorganisation of port pilotage services; transfer responsibility for ports of lesser commercial significance to the local authorities; designate Dingle Harbour as a fishery harbour centre and provide for the designation of other fishery harbours as fishery harbour centres in the future.

The new proposals are based on the main recommendations made to me by the Commercial Harbours Review Group. I expect to bring the new legislation before Government in the near future and it is my objective to have the Bill published well before the end of the year. The debate on the legislation will provide an opportunity for Deputies to comment on the report of the review group.

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