Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Not that I know of, but one never knows. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. It is topical, relevant and particularly pertinent. It is an item of great interest to me now having been there and I see there is possibly unrealised potential in Rosslare Europort. I do not want to say anything that would give too much hope of some sort of an early change but I understand the points the Deputy has made. It is something I will commit to looking at seriously with a view to any constructive changes which are brought to my attention, and I am hopeful they will be.

The Deputy is aware that Rosslare Europort is unique among the State-owned ports in that it is not a commercial company operating under the Harbours Acts but is instead operated as a division of Iarnród Éireann. The status of the port and whether its current status potentially inhibits its development was most recently considered in a strategic review commissioned by my Department and carried out by Indecon economic consultants. Its report concluded that the creation of an independent port authority would be very difficult given the port's complex legal structure. Instead, it was recommended that the port remain in public ownership and that the possibilities for increased private sector involvement be investigated.

To assist Iarnród Éireann’s overall consideration of how best to move forward, the company then engaged consultants to assess market interest. The assessment was largely positive in terms of the potential for increased private sector investment in the port. It did identify, however, possible implementation issues due to the complicated legislative basis of the port. There were difficulties but not ones that could not be overcome. Following the assessment, my Department sought and received detailed advice from the Office of the Attorney General on the matter. That advice identified a number of legal issues with any such proposal and those issues remain under consideration.

The Deputy may be interested to know that the Irish Maritime Development Office, IMDO, in conjunction with my Department, has been undertaking a study into the use of the UK land bridge by Irish importers and exporters. The purpose of this research was to establish the volume of traffic using the UK land bridge at present, the likely consequences that Brexit will have on land bridge usage and the various alternative options that may be viable. The research is being finalised, is expected to be completed shortly and should inform the potential for the future utilisation of all ports within the State, including Rosslare Europort. As I am sure the Deputy is aware, the Brexit negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union are ongoing and, as the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade have informed the House, these are at a sensitive stage in terms of agreeing a framework for the future trading relationship between the UK and the EU, including Ireland. Clearly, the outcome of that negotiation process will have implications for this country’s ports, notably Rosslare, in view of its position as an import-export trading route to mainland Europe for those businesses which, now or in the future, may wish to consider alternatives to the use of the UK land bridge. The Deputy may wish to know that Iarnród Éireann has advised that it has completed a commercial review of Rosslare Europort and is in the process of preparing a detailed business plan for the port to include consideration of the implications of Brexit.

As the Deputy mentioned, I recently visited Rosslare at the invitation of my ministerial colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, and was briefed by the Europort's management on the port’s commercial position. This was an especially valuable opportunity for me as Minister.

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