Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

All of our guests are very welcome. During the local elections, I was in the proud county of Cork which sees itself as the real capital. It is rare to hear people in Cork advocating for something in Dublin. That message was heard loud and clear on this issue, however, because people know what impact this decision will have on Cobh, Cork and south. That was very noticeable.

What I am hearing here is that a balance needs to be struck. A silo-type approach is being taken. We cannot afford to be in that frame of mind given the risks arising from Brexit. The Port of Dublin has taken Brexit very seriously and that must be acknowledged. We must also question why Rosslare was given such a low priority in the national development plan. Given the port's capacity, relieving some of the congestion in Dublin would seem to be logical. There is a bigger picture to be looked at in this. The Minister clearly has influence on Dublin Port. There is a difference between influence and power but this influence is important for the overall economy. Other matters also need to be considered. Given the role Cobh played historically, it would be an important story to see people wanting to come back to the town as opposed to seeing it as a port of emigration.

On the issue of Belfast and the North, given the concentration on the Border and Brexit, it is impossible not to see that other practical matters will be important in looking at the all-Ireland economy post Brexit. From that point of view, the Port of Belfast is an intangible positive which we must ensure we do not lose. Rather than considering this matter from a purely Dublin Port point of view, we must put other issues into the mix.

Dublin Port must also look at its business case. We should meet the Minister, Deputy Ross, to argue that this business case must be recognised and that some means must be found to be fair and balanced. We will not find a balance without looking at the business aspect of Dublin Port. Writing to a Minister whom we could bump into in a corridor seems like a circuitous way of getting to speak to him. We can speak to him individually to press home the point that is being made about the timing, urgency and importance of this issue.

Wider issues also need to be considered. I had an opportunity to speak to individuals involved in the coach industry. Certainty in respect of cruise traffic creates a different dynamic for that industry. This is important from the point of view of both the operators and those who work in the coach sector, which is also a good area of employment.

We have heard the views of the witnesses loud and clear and we know what we have to do. It is important to understand that we must find a balance by recognising that Dublin Port has been proactive in looking at the challenges of Brexit while also acknowledging that, within those challenges, we cannot leave behind a sector of an extremely important industry. This is what we need to do.