Mr. Glenn Carr:

I thank the Chairman and the committee for the opportunity to discuss Rosslare Europort today. It is the second busiest roll-on, roll-off, RoRo, passenger port in the country and the foremost RoRo port in the country for direct services to Europe. It has been a truly transformative number of weeks as, together with our shipping operators, we have brought new and expanded direct services between Rosslare Europort and the Continent of Europe. Direct sailings to Europe have increased from three to 16 each way per week, offering 32 services between Rosslare and Europe. These services have played a vital role, ensuring continuity of the country’s supply chain, which has been facing the twin challenges of Brexit and Covid-19. Our current shipping operators are Irish Ferries, which provides a twice daily service from Rosslare to Pembroke; Stena Line, which provides a twice daily service - temporarily reduced - from Rosslare to Fishguard and six sailings per week to Cherbourg, France - up from three at the start of the year; Brittany Ferries, which provides a twice weekly service from Rosslare to Bilbao, Spain, with a third service to Cherbourg and, most recently, the introduction of a new weekly service to St Malo-Roscoff; DFDS, a new, six-times per week direct service from Rosslare Europort to Dunkirk, France, which commenced on 2 January 2021; and Neptune Lines, which provides a trade car carrier service from Zeebrugge to Rosslare, on average every four to six weeks.

Increasing connectivity and frequency of shipping services, along with developing Rosslare Europort as the offshore wind hub for Ireland are the key objectives in growing the port and maximising its potential for the benefit of the region and the country. Our figures for January 2021 clearly show the demand that these new services have attracted, with the key highlights of January 2021 versus January 2020 as follows: Rosslare Europort, now Ireland’s number one port for direct RoRo services to Europe, with ship visits up 37%; combined freight traffic, UK and Europe, up 43%; and continental freight up 47% and UK freight down 49%. The expansion of these services to mainland Europe has been essential to protect the supply lines of our exporters and importers to avoid the disruptions that the UK land bridge has brought post Brexit and to support the new supply chains created directly with Europe. We are confident that these direct services will be maintained and we are in ongoing discussions and reviews to accommodate potential additional frequency and capacity to Europe such is the ongoing demand for these services.

Despite the very positive increase in direct services and freight volumes to Europe from Rosslare, trade with the UK and our passenger business continues to be severely affected by both Covid and Brexit and will have a very negative impact on our balance sheet. Our UK freight traffic is down 49% and passenger traffic is restricted to essential purposes only. It will be important that both of these issues are resolved to a level to ensure sustainability in the longer term of services to both the UK and Europe.

While pre-Brexit planning at Rosslare by all stakeholders was put in place to ensure the smooth transition on our services with the UK, the reality of the reduction of trade volumes to the UK is clear and it will take a number of months to fully understand what levels are likely to return directly from the UK and the use of the land bridge as a route to and from Europe. It should be noted that further significant disruption is expected from July, when the UK intends to implement their customs procedures and checks.

Extensive planning and works have gone into the port and there was significant investment in infrastructure and resources by all of the Government agencies and Iarnród Éireann as the port authority, so that Rosslare was well prepared for Brexit. I thank the Ministers, Secretaries General and their teams in the Departments of Transport, Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Health, the Revenue Commissioners and the Office of Public Works for their enormous support and guidance in our preparation.

The temporary border inspection post, BIP, is fully completed and operational and all State agencies are amalgamated on one site. Rosslare Europort is in a unique position in that the BIP is located approximately 1 km from the berths and ensures that freight and passenger traffic moves freely to and from the ships and onto their onward journey. No major congestion issues have arisen and none are envisaged. Consultation is taking place with Wexford County Council and An Garda Síochána, with an agreed traffic management plan in place for the port and surrounding area.

Longer term, the masterplan for Rosslare Europort has commenced.

An investment of circa €35 million will be made into the port in the next number of years as the four phases of the plan are completed to support future roll-on, roll-off freight and passenger services. Rosslare Europort has also completed an extensive review of the-----