Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I want to follow-up on the regional impact, which is really important. The analysis suggests that Dublin might do all right out of all of this but there will be regions that will be enormously adversely hit, particularly the midlands and the south east. That is what the ESRI has told us and the Taoiseach directly. We need to be working right now on an export strategy that improves our direct links to the Continent from the island of Ireland. This will require us to have a ports strategy. I am aware of all of the arguments in regard to State subvention to develop ports such as the Rosslare Europort. We need to have a policy platform that will ensure that we greatly improve our direct links. Is the Taoiseach working on such a ports plan? What specifically does he have in mind for Rosslare Europort? The Taoiseach will recall that the Indecon plan referenced a different governance structure for it. Will that be part of the plan?

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