Responses to Parliamentary Questions 2024

Q: To ask the Minister for Transport to provide figures for the number of staff directly employed in agencies and bodies directly under his aegis who work from home/remotely as part of their working week; the percentage of staff on an overall basis who work from home at least one day a week; the number of working hours on average per week that staff in relevant agencies and bodies work from home; the gender breakdown of those who avail of the opportunity to work from home/remotely; if he will provide the figures for 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Dublin Port Company Response 9 February 2024

Dear Deputy Nash,

Dublin Port Company currently has a headcount of 153 (as of 05 January 2024). In 2022 we convened a ‘hybrid work working group’ to gather input from employees across the Company in relevant areas and departments. 

Following consultation and feedback from this working group we launched our hybrid working policy in March 2022. This policy facilitates flexible working for all relevant employees with a maximum of 60% remote working per week. Staff are expected to have flexibility with working and business needs.

We currently have 24% of all employees availing of hybrid working. This is an estimated 45% of employees in role eligible to work remotely taking up a hybrid working model. This number has an approximate 2:1 female to male ratio. 

A review will take place in early 2024 of all hybrid arrangements to ensure these are meeting the needs of individuals, departments, and the business needs of Dublin Port Company.

Due to the nature of work undertaken by Dublin Port Company some roles are unsuitable for blended working due to requirements for duties having to be carried out exclusively at the work premises, e.g. Marine roles and maintenance and services functions.

If you require any further information, please contact me.

Michael Lennon,

Company Secretary,

Dublin Port Company.

Q: To ask the Minister for Transport the ground rents payable by his Department or agencies under its remit, by named property, by name of landlord and by amount payable, in the years 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Dublin Port Company Response 25 March 2024

Dear Deputy Carthy,

Dublin Port Company does not pay ground rent.  

We hold lands at Dublin Inland Port at the Dublin AirPort Logistics Park under a long-term lease and pay an annual rent of €10.

If you require any further information, please contact me.

Michael Lennon,

Company Secretary,

Dublin Port Company.

Q: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of engagements, including online meetings, webinars, briefings and in-person meetings that he or officials from his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department have had with the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) including its representatives, from 1 January 2019 to date.

Dublin Port Company Response 8 April 2024

Dear Deputy Nolan,

I can confirm that Dublin Port Company did not have any engagements, including online meetings, webinars, briefings and in-person meetings with the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) including its representatives within the timeframe in question.

Michael Lennon,

Company Secretary,

Dublin Port Company.

Q: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of employees within his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department who are currently suspended on full pay pending disciplinary investigations; to outline, in tabular form, the length of time these employees have been under suspension; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Dublin Port Company Response 13 May 2024

Dear Deputy Nolan,

I can confirm that Dublin Port Company has no staff currently suspended on full pay pending disciplinary investigations.

Kind Regards,

Michael Lennon,

Company Secretary,

Dublin Port Company.

Q: To ask the Minister for Transport if any State, semi-State or commercial semi-State agency under the aegis of their Department is aware of any cases of bogus self-employment in any bodies under their remit from 2020 to 1 May 2024; if they will outline if there are currently any cases from such agencies or bodies currently before the SCOPE section of the Department of Social Protection for investigation or determination; if there are any SCOPE findings and recommendations relating to any agencies or bodies under their remit where SCOPE has found in favour of the worker, and where they recommended the reclassification of the workers’ employment status to that of direct employee between 2020 and 1 May 2024; if they will provide information on the numbers involved and the names of the individual agencies and bodies in all cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Dublin Port Company Response 22 May 2024

Dear Deputy Nash,

I can confirm that there have been no cases of bogus self-employment between 2020 and 1 May 2024 in Dublin Port Company and there are no cases before the SCOPE section of the Department of Social Protection and no reports, findings or recommendations pending.

Kind Regards,

Michael Lennon,

Company Secretary,

Dublin Port Company.

A Chara,

I am reaching out to Dublin Port in the hope of securing some additional details around your plans to provide artists’ studios/arts spaces in Dublin. I understand Dublin Port have been working alongside the Arts Council on addressing the need for more artists’ spaces in the city, and I would be grateful if you could answer the following:

• How much space has been made available to artists?

• Is there artists’ space available currently?

• How can artists apply for such space?

Thank you for any help you can provide with these questions!

Kind Regards,

Office of Neasa Hourigan TD

Dublin Port Company Response 6 June 2024

Dear Deputy Hourigan,

In 2022 Dublin Port Company (DPC) and the Arts Council signed a MOU which set out to establish artist studio campus of over 40 studios in the former Odlum’s mill.  

Since then, a feasibility study has been undertaken by the Irish architects Grafton Architects.  This year, the Arts Council has carried an extensive engagement with the artist community and are creating a business to get the funding for the project.     

Until funding is secured there is currently no space available for artists, however, as part of our Port City Integration programme, Temple Bar Galleries will be hosting two exhibitions in the Port’s Pumphouse space: 

Yuri Pattison Dream Sequence and Liliane Puthod Beep Beep from 6 July to 28 October. 

The Little Museum of Dublin will also be curating an exciting new exhibition in the Substation museum from October to November.

I hope the above information is of assistance and if you have any further queries on any matter in relation to Dublin Port Company please contact me.

Kind Regards,

Michael Lennon,

Company Secretary,

Dublin Port Compan

Q: To ask the Minister for Transport if his Department and each body and agency under the remit of his Department has achieved the Government-mandated public sector remote working target of 20%; when this was achieved in each instance; the current percentage of staff working remotely; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Dublin Port Company Response 21 June 2024

Dear Deputy Naughton,

Dublin Port Company published a policy for Hybrid Working at Dublin Port in March 2022. The model adopted was “60:40” with 60% being the maximum amount of time that can be worked remotely subject to the specific needs of the department or function. 

Since the policy was adopted in 2022, on average 30-35% of staff avail of hybrid working under the policy.

As Dublin Port is open 24/7 all year,  63% of our staff are in operational essential roles such as pilots, craft workers, fire wardens, harbour police, VTS operators, tug masters, marine operatives and general workers that are not suitable for hybrid working arrangements. 

Kind Regards,

Michael Lennon,

Company Secretary,

Dublin Port Company.

Q: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of contracted staff, full-time and part-time, employed by his Department, and by anybody or entity under the aegis of the Department, who are specifically assigned to processing freedom of information requests (details supplied), in each of the past three years; the Civil Service grade of each; the number of freedom of information requests dealt with by his Department, or anybody or entity under its aegis, in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Details Supplied: For clarity, this refers to the number of administrative staff who are specifically dedicated to working on FOIs, i.e. FOI officers and support staff, as opposed to decision makers

Dublin Port Company Response 12 July 2024

Dear Deputy O’Dowd,

Dublin Port Company (DPC) is not covered by the provisions of the Freedom Of Information Act, but we liaise with the Department of Transport when they receive a FOI request which relates to material supplied by DPC.

DPC responds to Parliamentary Questions received and I am the dedicated resource responsible for replying to same and I receive assistant in the compilation of replies from colleagues.

We have established a dedicated email address for use by Oireachtas members – oireachtasqueries@dublinport.ie and we advised all members of the Oireachtas of this address in February.

The purpose of this email address is to facilitate the raising of questions from members of the Oireachtas who require information from / about DPC.

If you have any queries in relation to the above, please contact me at oireachtasqueries@dublinport.ie or mlennon@dublinport.ie.

Kind Regards,

Michael Lennon,

Company Secretary,

Dublin Port Company,

Q: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of legal cases taken by his Department, or by State agencies or bodies under his Department’s aegis, against another Department, Government agency or State body in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Dublin Port Company Response 1 August 2024

Dear Deputy Costello,

I confirm that Dublin Port Company has taken any legal cases against any Government Department, Government agency or State body in each of the past five years.

Kind Regards,

Michael Lennon,

Company Secretary,

Dublin Port Company.

Q: To ask the Minister for Transport if his Department, or any agency under his auspices, has ever used any artificial intelligence software in the preparation of response to parliamentary questions, or in responses to any correspondence from outside the organisation; the details of same if applicable; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Dublin Port Company Response 23 September 2024

Dear Deputy Carthy,

I can confirm that Dublin Port Company has never ever used any artificial intelligence software in the preparation of responses to parliamentary questions, or in responses to any correspondence from outside the Company.

Kind Regards,

Michael Lennon,

Company Secretary,

Dublin Port Company.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I hope this message finds you well.

I’m writing to you to inquire about the dumping of dredging materials from Dublin port at Kish. Could you provide some insight into why this location was chosen for disposal? Additional I’m curious as to why we don’t dump this material further out in the Irish Sea or at location further north or south along the East coast. 

I would appreciate any information you can provide on this matter. 

Thank you for your assistance.

Colm 

Colm Brophy TD

Leinster House, Kildare St, Dublin 2 

Dublin Port Company Response 10 October 2024

Dear Deputy Brophy,

I refer to your email of the 8th October regarding dumping of dredging materials at Kish.

Please see below information regarding our dredging operations.  If you require any further information, please contact me.

Kind Regards,

Michael Lennon,

Company Secretary,

Dublin Port Company.

Dublin Port Company carry out Dredging operations under a Dumping at Sea (DaS) Permit which is issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Section 5 of the Dumping at Sea Acts 1996 to 2010. 

The DaS Permit issued by the EPA allows for the loading and dumping of dredged material from Dublin Port’s berths, basins and navigation channels with all dredging operations adhering to the strict conditions of the DaS Permit. 

Dublin Port Company is regularly audited by the EPA during dredging operations to ensure compliance to these conditions. An Annual Environmental Report is submitted to the EPA and is available to the public to view via the EPA Website.

All dredging materials to be dumped are subject to regular Sediment sampling and analysis and are presented to the Marine Institute (MI) to ensure that the sediments are suitable for disposal at sea (Class 1 uncontaminated, no biological effects likely).

These dredged sediments are dumped at the existing EPA licensed offshore disposal site located at the entrance to Dublin Bay to the west of the Burford Bank, (6.75 km from the lighthouse at the end of the Great South Wall).

This licenced dump site has been designated by the EPA as an area suitable for the dumping of dredged material for decades. It is a communal site used for the disposal of dredge spoil from Dublin Port, Howth and Dún Laoghaire harbours. 

The licensed offshore disposal site has been proven to be suitable for the safe disposal of dredge spoil from Dublin Port. The site has the advantage that it is dispersive for clays and silts, but sands and gravel are retained within the natural Dublin Bay sediment cell. 

Ecological surveys of the offshore disposal site show that it recovers rapidly after each dredging campaign and recovers completely within 12-18 months.

There are no other licenced offshore disposal sites within the Greater Dublin Bay Area. The opening of a new disposal site further offshore would have no additional environmental benefit. On the contrary, it would lead to unnecessary increases in energy usage to transfer the dredged marine sediments from the dredging area to the disposal site; it would lose sands and gravels from the natural Dublin Bay sediment cell, and it may have a greater impact on fisheries interests.