Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 35 together.

The Deputy will be aware that Rosslare Europort is unique among the State-owned ports, as it is not a commercial company operating under the Harbours Acts, but is instead operated as a division of Iarnród Éireann.

Technically, the port forms part of the Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours Company, which is a 19^thcentury joint-venture company, consisting today of Iarnród Éireann on the Irish side and Stena Line on the Welsh, Fishguard, side.

The status of the port, and whether its current status potentially inhibits its development, was considered in a strategic review, commissioned by my Department, and carried out by Indecon economic consultants.

The report concluded that the creation of an independent port authority would be extremely 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.

In order 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. However, it did identify possible implementation issues due to the complicated legislative basis of the port. Following that 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 by my Department.

I visited Rosslare Europort earlier this year at the invitation of my ministerial colleague, Deputy Paul Kehoe, and was briefed by the Europort’s management on the port’s commercial position. This was a particularly valuable opportunity for me as Minister to witness the central role that Rosslare Europort plays within the economy of Wexford, and indeed the wider south-east, and to see at first hand its potential in terms of future development as a vital part of our country’s trading infrastructure.

Finally, my Department has been engaging with Rosslare Europort with regard to Brexit and these discussions are ongoing.

See this speech in context