James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have raised the issue of Rosslare Europort every second week since my election. The port makes €2.5 million profit annually. It is not only self-sufficient but it is very profitable. However, it looks like a ghost town because it is owned by Iarnród Éireann which sucks the profit out of it and puts it in to subsidise other parts of its railway network which it is not prepared to deal with in a proper manner. It is the second busiest port in the country for passenger and roll on-roll off traffic. That €2.5 million per annum should be put back into that port. It would leverage approximately €15 million on the international market, which would make that port one of the top ports in Europe, as it should be because of its location. It is Ireland's closest port to the Continent. Ships steam past it every few minutes, going on to England, France, Hamburg or Rotterdam. Even a tiny portion of that business would make Rosslare one of the top ports in Europe. It is time action was taken either to take it from Iarnród Éireann or at least turn it into a stand alone company so that profits are kept in the port. It should be a driver of the economy for the entire region.

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