I propose to take Question Nos. 548, 550, 561 and 571 together.
In July this year Drogheda Port Company made an application to me for a Ministerial Order to alter the company's harbour limits, as provided for by section 9 of the Harbours Act 1996, as amended by section 3 of the Harbours (Amendment) Act 2009. A public consultation with respect of such orders is not a statutory requirement. However, such a public consultation was carried out prior to a previous alteration of the company's harbour limits in 2004 and the company has conducted a similar consultation in this instance.
The procedure by which the consultation document was made available for public viewing for 21 days at the local Garda Station is the same as that followed with regard to the previous proposed alteration of the harbour limits in 2004. The consultation period concluded on 9 September and the documentation has now been returned to me with a confirmation from the Gardaí that it was on public display from 19 August for a period of 21 days. I have received a number of submissions in response to the consultation and will give due consideration to these before making my decision.
The proposed alteration of the harbour limits would extend them to the area around the proposed location for a new port at Bremore. However, a planning application for the new port has not been made as yet. Any such application would follow all the usual planning consultations.
