Review recommends changes for ports

The State's regional ports and harbours are not making the most of revenue opportunities and are hampered by outdated legislation and "unwieldy" administration, a Government review has found.

The consultancy review recommends sweeping changes to improve the ports' fortunes, including "corporatisation" of three ports, merging of two, and the transfer of responsibility for nine to local authorities. It recommends that each local authority appoint a marine affairs official with appropriate shipping and port experience.

The review, which was presented to the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods, in Dublin yesterday also recommends an increase in secondary port charges, which it regards as generally low, and provision of a consistent dredging policy which would streamline maintenance. The ports will never become self-sufficient, but could improve financial performance; however, funding will be required under the new EU Regional Operational Programme, it says.

The study of secondary ports - that is, those with an annual commercial traffic of less than 250,000 tonnes - was commissioned after successful changes in the administration of the State's main seaports had been completed. A review group in 1992 had recommended that 12 main seaports be reconstituted as commercial state ports; this was underpinned by the 1996 Harbours Act.

That legislation, introduced by the previous administration, provided three options for small harbours - retaining the status quo, where they could continue to be subject to the original 1946 Harbours Act; establishment of semi-state companies to manage some or all of them; or transfer to local authorities. Currently, most of the secondary ports are managed by harbour commissioners representing local interests, as well as councillors from the local authority and district council where appropriate; two, at Kilrush, Co Clare, and Youghal, Co Cork, are run by the town's urban district council.

The consortium led by KPMG Consulting and comprising Posford Duvivier, Brady Shipman Martin, Fitzpatrick Associates and MDS Transmodal was commissioned by the Department of Marine and Natural Resources to look at these options, and to provide a general strategic framework for the ports and harbours.

Some 16 ports were identified, including three which had been specified in the 1996 Harbours Act as new semi-state companies.

These three - Dundalk, Wicklow and Arklow - have not yet achieved this commercial status, but this report now advises that this should proceed, subject to preparation of development plans.

If these ports are not prepared to be "corporatised", they should be merged with a neighbouring port, the consultants state - Wicklow and Arklow with Dublin, and Dundalk and Drogheda together in a new North East Port Company.

The review says that two ports should merge - Cork should take responsibility for Bantry, and possibly Castletownbere, and Shannon Estuary Port should take over Fenit. The recommendation in relation to Castletownbere, Co Cork, could arouse opposition from local fishing interests, given the perceived need for a separate identity as one of the State's major fishery harbours.

The review says that the following ports should be transferred to local authority ownership: Annagassan to Louth County Council; Baltimore to Cork County Council; Kinsale to Cork County Council; river Moy (Ballina) to Mayo County Council; Westport to Mayo County Council; Wexford to Wexford County Council; Sligo to Sligo County Council. Donegal County Council has offered to take over Ballyshannon and Buncrana; and Youghal and Kilrush should remain with the local urban district council.