Mr. David McArdle:

As far as Dublin Port is concerned, when goods return to the levels of 2019 and 2020, with the customs formalities, the ferry times should be looked at. Four or five ships carrying 500 or 600 pieces of equipment arrive in Dublin Port in the morning between 5.30 and 6.30. Several hundred trucks work out of the container terminals. That needs to be looked at. The ferry times need to be stretched out by 15 to 20 minutes each way by the four main ferry companies. The container terminals need to look at their opening and closing times to facilitate this too. There are queues from 6 a.m. with trucks trying to get into container terminals to get containers for the morning delivery because they were not able to get in for 5 p.m. Closing at 5 p.m. or 5.30 p.m. in today's world of transport is no good. There should be a later opening time for container terminals.

Regarding infrastructure and a green initiative, the way that Dublin Port Tunnel is run needs to be looked at. Every truck has to stop either leaving the tunnel or entering the tunnel. Every time a truck stops at a toll or a barrier, 1 l of fuel is consumed. The tunnel is free for trucks but it is costing us in fuel every day. The entry and exit points for trucks need to be examined. There is no need for barriers. There needs to be an electronic system that allows trucks to run through freely.