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Port Review Letter to the Minister

18th July 2003

Our Ref: DHB 03-151

Minister Dermot Ahern, T.D.
Minister for Communications, Marine and
Natural Resources
Leeson Lane
Dublin 2

Re: Report of the High Level Review of State Commercial Ports
Report of the Port Estates Task Force

Dear Minister,

We are responding to your request for the views of the commercial port companies in relation to the findings contained in the report of the High Level Review of State Commercial Ports and the report of the Port Estates Task Force.

The Board and management of the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company generally welcomes the findings of the reports and our comments on individual the recommendations contained in both reports are enclosed.

The Higher Level Review report makes specific reference to the issue of port mergers. The Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company fully supports mergers where it can clearly be demonstrated that they will increase competitiveness, reduce costs and increase profitability. In the case of the proposed merger of Dún Laoghaire and Dublin ports, however, no attempt is made in the body of the report to justify the merger on any of these grounds. We believe, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, that the proposed merger will reduce competition between ports on the Central Corridor and will not result in significant cost savings.

The Higher Level Review Report also makes reference to the conflict between the commercial and heritage obligations of the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company and recommends that the heritage responsibilities be transferred to the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. We believe that, if Dún Laoghaire Harbour's internationally important cultural and heritage assets are to be transferred to local authority ownership, it is important that proper provision is made for the long-term maintenance and conservation of these facilities. The Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council does not have the substantial funds needed to maintain the Harbour without recourse to higher commercial rates, a course of action, which, would be strongly resisted by the local business community.

It would indeed be unfortunate if the commercial futures of the two ports were to be secured at the expense of a long-term deterioration in the fabric of Dún Laoghaire Harbour's internationally important heritage assets.

We would like to thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the public consultation process on the findings of these two important reports and we look forward to receiving your conclusions on the recommendations contained in both reports in due course.

Yours sincerely,

Patrick J. McMahon Michael Hanahoe

Additional Company Information

Port Review Report

Report of the high level review group - Submission to the Minister of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, view the whole report.

Port Estate submission

The strategic plan of each port must take account of the full economic role of the port and must be framed within a long-term strategic plan for the sector. The forthcoming publication of the National Spatial Strategy should be used to inform the definition of these roles. View the whole submission.