Vol. 540 No. 3
58 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the progress which has been made by the Government task force set up to examine the integration of ports with the national transport network; if it has made recommendations to Government; and if any decisions for action have been made. [19663/01]
I assume the Deputy is referring to the task force I established under the chairmanship of Dr. John Mangan to advise me on transport logistics in connection with ports. The task force will examine the potential and prospects for increasing the volume of port traffic which is transported by rail and the transfer of port generated freight traffic from road to rail including the development of rail head facilities at existing ports; for transport of freight across transport modes by night-off peak; traffic diversion including by rail, pipeline, including relocation of oil tank farms, and to other less congested ports out side Dublin. The task force will also seek to identify other imaginative proposals to reduce congestion and make port access-egress more efficient and identify cost effective options for the movement of port related traffic through Dublin and the possibility for transfer of non essential activities away from ports.
In addition to these specific tasks, I have indicated that the group will be free to advise on any aspects of transport logistics in connection with ports which they feel merits comment. The task force has met on five occasions since its inaugural meeting in March. I am advised that the group intends to take into account various reports and have regard to best international experience and practice. In an effort to consult as widely as possible they placed advertisements in the national media inviting submissions and have received presentations from interested parties. In addition, the group is undertaking supplementary surveys to gather relevant data on, for example, origin and destination traffic flows. The chairman has advised that because of the extensive consultation process I can expect to have an interim report after September 2001.
