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

I thank the Deputy. This has come up in my various conversations with business groups. Responsibility for transport and logistics falls to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton. However, the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation is across this issue because it is essential for business and employment that we have supply chains. The Department of Transport has advised me that we have a great amount of direct capacity in respect of ro-ro ferries from Ireland directly to France, Spain and even Portugal, as well as to the Netherlands and Belgium. It has also informed us that there is approximately 40% unused capacity on those shipping lines which can be used as an alternative to the land bridge if there are significant delays in Kent. This is something that we will have to keep under review in case we need to do more.

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