Mr. Glenn Carr:

Anything is feasible but the key issue is the scale and cost of a project and the return to the State. To maximise the potential for rail freight, a connection with key ports is required. Rosslare Europort is a roll-on, roll-off port. We see opportunities for offshore wind development. That would address potential lift-on, lift-off opportunities at the port. However, the challenge is with respect to the rail infrastructure that would be required to justify taking freight to and from Rosslare Europort as against developing an alternative in Waterford for the south east, which would provide an opportunity there. The other port with connectivity is Dublin. There are challenges there. We should also note the Waterford to Rosslare line is not currently operational. There is a single line from Rosslare Europort out towards Dublin. In addition, it would bring freight traffic out on to one of the busiest, if not the busiest, commuter networks in the system. A number of challenges would need to be examined with respect to rail freight being linked into the port as against, from a south east regional perspective, developing Rosslare Europort for further roll-on, roll-off operations that would alleviate some of the pressures in Dublin and as the offshore wind hub for the country, which would bring many national and regional benefits, and also developing the Port of Waterford to play a greater role in rail freight.