Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I absolutely agree that we need diversity in port access. We have a very successful and well performing port in Dublin, but there are others too and they are expanding. For example, the Port of Cork has major expansion plans under way, as do Shannon Foynes deep water port and Rosslare Europort. It is important and factual to point out that the investment happening in Dublin Port, Shannon Foynes Port and the Port of Cork is not being funded directly by the taxpayer or the Exchequer. They are commercial semi-State companies which borrow money to develop and repay loans from the charges for using the ports.

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