Debate contribution: Harbours Bill: Second Stage
Debate contribution by Mr Stephen Dunne on .
- MLA
- Mr Stephen Dunne
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 23 June 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Executive Committee Business
- Heading
- Harbours Bill: Second Stage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5637175
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I am pleased to speak in the Second Stage debate on the Harbours Bill. As a member of the Committee for Infrastructure, I support the Bill's general intention, which, ultimately, is to provide all the trust ports in Northern Ireland with greater commercial flexibility. The trust ports are a key part of our local economy. There are also some important provisions in the Bill on maritime safety, which is also a critical issue, and one that is worthy of consideration. The reclassification of trust ports by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will mean that they can borrow without there being any impact on public-sector accounts. Importantly, that will unlock investment by the trust ports, which will further help stimulate economic growth and create jobs across Northern Ireland. That should be the focus for all of us, and something that we can support and get behind. There is no doubt that all our trust ports already deliver significant economic and social benefits, but they are telling us that they can do more, want to do more and are willing to do more. We should therefore be agile enough to consider what they are saying and always be in listening mode. The legislation paves the way for the borrowing capabilities that they need in order to invest properly in the critical infrastructure that is under their stewardship, and it will help safeguard their important assets today and for future generations. There is clear consensus on, and general support for, the direction of travel. All the trust ports support the legislation, as was reflected in the responses to the consultation carried out last year on this important issue. It is also worth noting that trust ports in the rest of the United Kingdom — in Scotland, England and Wales — have been reclassified with no issues. The Harbours Bill will therefore better equip our ports to compete effectively with other ports in GB and the Republic of Ireland. The Infrastructure Committee visited Belfast harbour just over a year ago to hear directly from its representatives and, importantly, to see for ourselves the current facilities and the potential for further development. It was a very interesting visit. The Committee membership has changed a bit since then, but it was an important visit. Our harbours are very much a key driver of our economy. More than 20,000 people are employed in the harbour estates alone, and the harbours support over 15% of our country's total annual output. We can see the developments taking place at the D3 cruise terminal at Belfast harbour through the work that is going on there. That £90 million project borders my constituency and is significant, as it further supports the Northern Ireland tourism growth sector that is cruise liners. We can see that day and daily, particularly at this time of the year. Cruise ship visits have a positive impact on our country and on our economy. Belfast harbour has invested over £370 million in the past 10 years and has plans to spend another £313 million by the end of 2029 as part of its advance regional prosperity strategy. That, combined with the ambitious projects in its 2025-2050 master plan, has significant potential to unlock further economic activity for our country. It is important that we now proceed with Committee Stage, particularly given the Bill's arrival to us at this late stage of the mandate. We know that we are operating within time constraints in a shortened mandate. We therefore have to make the most of the time that we have left in order to improve conditions for the trust ports. For the reasons I have outlined, and those of my colleagues, I am happy to support the Bill at this stage, and I look forward to its continued progress.
632 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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