Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach. I understand he may hope to have common sense but he must take on board what is at stake here for the country. This port is regarded as probably the most strategic port not only in Ireland but in Ireland and the UK. It services Northern Ireland and has kept it in the Single Market. Northern Ireland businesses access this port. It has never received a shilling from any government, including this Government, in over 40 years. I spoke with Glenn Carr, the manager of Rosslare Europort, and he told me there is a meeting. That meeting is only to say that the money that can be accessed from a European fund is being looked at. Everything is too slow. In March of this year, the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, told me that a process was to be set up which would outline where submissions regarding wind farm projects and wind farm construction base projects were to go. Nothing has happened on that front. We do not have time. I reiterate that the taxpayer should, and must, get value for money. We can get double the bang for the taxpayers' buck by investing in Rosslare without making matters subject to competition.

See this speech in context