Speaking afterwards, a Port spokesman said the company is delighted at the outcome which upheld the rights of the company to sell non-core assets. The sale of the North Quays will allows the Port, which is a key piece of regional and national econmic infrastructure, to devlep further. In this instance, the land sale also clears the way - subject to planning permission - for a mixed used riverside development on the North Wharf and Frank Cassin Wharf that offers tremendous potential for Waterford and the southeast."

Maritime Transport includes responsibility for:-
- the commercial ports,
- shipping policy and
- the State regional ports and harbours. Maritime Safety encompasses:-
- the Maritime Safety Directorate and
- the Irish Coast Guard.

The formal process of transfer to the Department of Transport will get underway shortly with a view to a smooth transition by the New Year.
Both Ministers believe that the integration of the Maritime Transport and Maritime Safety functions in their totality under the Transport Policy framework makes strategic and operational sense.

Minister Dempsey stated: " Both myself and Martin Cullen are in full agreement that this move is in the interests of integrated transport policy delivery, the users of ports and shipping services and the sectors themselves"

Minister Cullen stated: "This transfer of functions enables all major transport issues relating to both services and investment across the roads, public transport, aviation and maritime transport sectors to be integrated under the aegis of a single Department of State. This move makes obvious sense in the context of the implementation of Transport 21 in the coming months and years"

The effective date for the transfer is 1 January 2006. The associated changes to budgets and Estimates will be reflected in the Revised Estimates Volume for 2006 to be published in February 2006. The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has the responsibility for these functions and associated budgets until 31st December 2005.

Addressing the conference Minister Gallagher highlighted new initiatives being undertaken by the Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources to ensure that Irish Ports retain their competitiveness and posses the capacity to meet rising demand.

"With one or two possible exceptions, the internal resources of our commercial ports are not sufficient to fund large-scale infrastructure projects. This represents a significant challenge, as there is no doubt that additional capacity is required at our ports over the coming years," said Minister Gallagher.

To that end the Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources has recently appointed consultants, Fisher Associates, to advise the Department on:

Refining the criteria to be used for project evaluation of new infrastructure projects in ports;
Drawing up a uniform template for submission of detailed project proposals from port companies to the Department;
Assessing the scope for efficiencies of scale within existing areas of ports handling trade and;
Evaluating the projects submitted by port companies with a view to submitting recommendations to Government.

"This process is an important step in ensuring that our ports can handle the volume of trade moving through them today and into the future. As a maritime nation ports are our lifeline and the trade that moves through them is the lifeblood of the nation. It is vital that they have infrastructure in place to provide this service to the economy," continued Minister Gallagher.

The Minister also stressed that: "Following a rigorous analysis of the proposals received from this process, to submit those projects that are best suited to developing infrastructure in our ports for Government approval. I am confident that this process will ensure that we can submit the proposals in early 2006".

Finally Minister Gallagher highlighted the progress made to date in transferring the regional harbours still operating under the Harbours Act 1946 to local control. "The latest position is that all the relevant local authorities have been requested to undertake an assessment and report on the potential for the transfer of regional harbours in their area and we're expecting the local authorities to revert to the Department soon."

"I believe that Ireland's regional harbours have enormous untapped potential, specifically in the areas of Marine Leisure and Waterfront Development. A thriving harbour can be a boon to a town and drive the development of the entire area. It is my hope that by transferring the harbours to those best in a position to develop them we can tap this potential and boost development in Ireland's coastal communities," concluded Minister Gallagher.

Speaking today (Friday, September 30) at the Irish Ports Association conference in Faithlegg, Co Waterford, Ben Gavin responded to the Ports Policy Statement published earlier this year by Minister of State Pat the Cope Gallagher.

“If Irish ports are to continue facilitating almost all of the country’s overseas trade and cater for future capacity needs then it seems clear that we need to work towards a clear set of priorities and there needs to be much greater private sector involvement, though this should not let the Government lose sight of the onus on it to maintain a vibrant ports sector that facilitates economic growth. Indeed, the economic value of our ports is borne out by the fact that in 2004 alone, this sector handled an estimated throughput of goods worth over €120 billion.

“All our ports must be accessed by road and/or rail for in- and out-bound cargo loads. Given the central importance of road and rail infrastructure to our ports, I feel there is an argument for moving Government responsibility for the State’s ports to the Department of Transport which is responsible for aviation as well as rail and road transport yet has no direct role in the maritime sector.

“I make no criticism of the current regime but I question how logical the links are that see commercial ports required to operate as real-world businesses yet being administered in tandem with the heavily subsidised fisheries sector that makes a vastly lesser economic contribution. There may also, I feel, be a role for the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment to play in steering the future direction of our ports given their economic importance and the central part that the location of ports plays in determining where certain mobile investments are made.”

The Port of Waterford chairman also told the 120-plus delegates at the conference that the Port will experience a shortfall in capacity of 1.3 million metric tonnes by 2020. “We have specific requirements for increased capacity for bulk solids, unit load and general freight and the provision of an additional 300 metres of quays at Belview is a priority for our company.

“With an overall shortfall in seaport capacity of 12.2 million tonnes predicted over the next 10 years and allowing for the time it takes to put key pieces of infrastructure in place, it seems curious that almost all of the major development projects being funded by the Government around our coast at present are designed to facilitate vessels and crews in the fisheries sector which is generally recognised as being unsustainable at the sort of level we have traditionally seen in this country because of over-fishing, dwindling stocks, increased costs and competition.”

Mr Gavin also said there is “considerable scope” for mergers and strategic alliances between ports on an island of Ireland’s size. “While I know the Government will be keen to maintain competitiveness between ports and to avoid any political fallout from unpopular streamlining, I think the decisions to be taken in the near term on what infrastructural projects should be advanced at ports to increase capacity should take firm account of the likelihood of such mergers and alliances going ahead down the line.

“A series of small-scale token investments every 20 miles or so around the coastline makes little or no sense when what is needed are a small number of large-scale, self-sufficient and viable ports at key locations that are accessed through a world-class network of roads and railways.”

Attended by delegates from the maritime sector throughout Ireland and overseas, the Irish Ports Association conference was also addressed by Eamonn Bradshaw, chairman, Irish Ports Association; Patrick Verhoeven, Secretary General, European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO); Valerie Brett, National College of Ireland; Prof John Mangan, University of Hull Business School; Karen Neary, National Development Finance Agency; Anthony Bates, Anthony Bates Partnership Dredging & Coastal Consultants; John Fitzsimons, National Roads Authority; Mark McConnell and Adam Holland, RPS Consulting and Pat the Cope Gallagher TD, Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources.

Commenting on foot of the publication by Minister of State Pat the Cope Gallagher TD of a Government policy statement on ports, Cllr Gavin noted that legislative changes to be made by mid-2006 in this country and the UK will clarify the ownership position at Rosslare Harbour which is currently managed and operated by Iarnród Éireann and has an historic Anglo-Irish ownership link with Fishguard.

“The Department of Transport is currently engaged with counterparts in the UK on framing reforming legislation that is likely to have passed all remaining hurdles by the summer of next year. Once these ownership issues at Rosslare have been dealt with, a new and more appropriate 21st Century structure will be put in place,” Cllr Gavin remarked.

“At that stage, the Port of Waterford – whose finances will be in more robust shape – will be fully open to discussions regarding a possible merger with Rosslare Harbour and with the port in New Ross, Co Wexford to form a southeastern ports group as envisaged by the High Level Review of the State Commercial Ports which was published in May 2003.

“Minister Gallagher rightly points out that the Government will only consider merger proposals that demonstrate the potential to reduce costs, create synergies and opportunities for more dynamic development, marketing, product delivery and critical mass. It is our view that the circumstances may present themselves in around 18 months from now to allow a detailed examination of such a merger between the southeast’s three principal ports. The Port of Waterford is well disposed towards exploring such an option when the time is right.”

Cllr Gavin said the policy document, launched today (Jan 6) by Minister of State Pat the Cope Gallagher TD, acts as a timely roadmap that will allow the ports and all other stakeholders to work in a coordinated way to meet regional and national economic needs.

“Minister Gallagher’s launching of this policy statement has been keenly awaited by the ports sector and while we will obviously be considering the document at more length in the days and weeks ahead, it certainly appears to offer an ambitious but achievable blueprint for the efficient operation of Ireland’s ports in to the future.

“The policy statement also shows a clear recognition by Government of how centrally important the ports are to sustaining economic growth and to achieving balanced regional development. Indeed, 99 per cent of overseas trade transits through our ports making them essential economic engines. As the Minister said, the challenge for the ports now is to realise our full commercial potential so that we provide adequate infrastructure and services to meet customer needs.”

The port chairman said it was also particularly welcome to have emphasis placed on the need for ports and their boards to have clearer and more focused commercial mandates. “It is very encouraging that Minister Gallagher and the Government have now set out how they see the ports progressing in the years ahead and it is central to this vision that each port is placed on a sound commercial footing and that all key decisions are made towards this end.

“It is also particularly encouraging from the Port of Waterford’s perspective to hear Minister Gallagher speak about beginning a search for viable projects to ensure that we do not suffer from capacity shortfalls in the future and confirming that Exchequer funding of major projects will be available where necessary though he also rightly encouraged greater private sector involvement. I would further commend the Minister for sanctioning the continued use of non-core assets to fund new port development though – as he noted - not to mask inefficiencies.”

Cllr Gavin said that the Port of Waterford also noted with interest the Minister’s encouragement of mergers between ports where a business case exists and his focus on the need for improved coordination of transport policy across the country.

The Port of Waterford chairman said Minister Gallagher was also correct to note that the internal resources of commercial ports are not generally adequate to fund large-scale infrastructure projects. “The Minister clearly accepts that there is a challenge on the funding side given the urgent need for additional capacity at ports like Waterford and it is of particular note that he commits the Government to part-funding viable development projects where port resources combined with private sector investment are insufficient to deliver needed capacity.

“The team at Port of Waterford will now bring forward proposals to Minister Gallagher and the Government setting out our priority infrastructure projects and covering how we propose to boost our capacity at Belview in the years ahead so that we can continue to serve existing customers and also meet the requirements of new commercial partners. We will also work with the Minister and his officials on how best these self-sustaining infrastructure projects can be initially financed.”