Mr. Frank Ronan:

I thank the Chair for the promotion to Mr. McGettigan's job. The Port of Waterford is the home port here. I thank the Chair for the opportunity to join the committee today. My statement is a summary of the submission we made to the Review to Renew consultation. The Port of Waterford made its submission to the Review to Renew consultation on 28 January 2021. This statement to the joint committee provides an overview of that submission.

The Port of Waterford operates from Belview Port point and handles more than 1.5 million tonnes of bulk products, mainly agri-related, together with another 100,000 or so tonnes of break bulk including bulk. timber, steel and project cargoes.

The port also operates in the container lo-lo sector, handling 50,000 20 ft. equivalent units, TEUs, annually, with spare capacity to significantly increase that throughput.

The Belview facility has excellent inland connectivity including direct access to the M9 and active rail connections into the port. With our positioning, the Port of Waterford is a tier 2 port of national significance and provides infrastructure that is relevant both regionally and nationally. The NDP provides enabling investment to implement the NPF, which sets the vision and strategy for the development of the State, balanced across all of our regions, towns and cities, out to the year 2040.

The importance of port connectivity in the context of Brexit and climate change is clearly signposted within the NPF with the inclusion of the following national strategic outcomes: outcome 2 is enhanced regional accessibility; outcome 4 is sustainable mobility; and outcome 6 is high-quality international connectivity. The programme for Government states that the Government will work with the State's port companies to ensure they have the capacity, finance and policy supports to deliver in the years ahead.

I now turn to challenges and opportunities for port development. The Port of Waterford masterplan sets out its strategic response to NPF policies and current challenges with respect to port development and the wider commercial environment. It identifies development priorities to 2044 that could be implemented to meet the needs of the economy over the next 25 years. Offshore wind investment as well as capacity constraints in Dublin, exacerbated by Brexit, will accelerate the requirement for new capacity and the need for the Port of Waterford's masterplan projects.

With regard to improving connectivity and sustainability, we are currently witnessing the relevance that Rosslare has assumed around the provision of services to ro-ro freight for direct to Europe connections. Waterford has the potential and available capacity to have a similar impact in terms rail freight and lo-lo off services, with direct lo-lo services to Europe providing a viable option against using the UK land bridge or more expensive direct ro-ro routes. Utilising best transport and logistics options also has the ability to make a significant contribution to transport decarbonisation.

We have requested an enhanced focus in the NDP around rail freight development, for overall support for network viability and for investment in rolling stock capacity. In Waterford, the portside element and connections are in place with no additional investment required.

Offshore wind investment is a key component of the climate action plan and support for offshore installations represents a significant opportunity for the State over the next few years. The port is actively involved in facilitating onshore wind installations and should be seen as a significant enabler. Port investment will be required and strategy alignment between the south-east ports on this issue is highly desirable. This opportunity will require the acceleration of some or all of the projects identified in the Port of Waterford masterplan.

The Port of Waterford submission requests that the revised NDP includes support for the Port of Waterford Master Plan 2020-2044 and the capital projects identified in this plan. We also request that the NDP supports the delivery of a rail freight network and investment to facilitate offshore wind, and ensures that prescribed bodies have sufficient capacity and resources to engage with capital project development and delivery.

I thank the Chairman. I kept my contribution as tight as I could but I look forward to answering any questions or providing more information on the port.