Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I accept that there is activity here and that it is not all about funding, but if the funding is not there, the deck of cards will fall and we will not be in a position to deliver on it. We know Irish ports have applied for TEN-T and CEF funding and have been completely unsuccessful in securing funding. While we hope the applications are successful, we cannot put all our eggs into that basket.

One of the clear differences here compared to other places, as the Minister of State said, is that Exchequer funding is not provided to Irish ports. Is consideration being given to changing that position? We know that in other states, municipalities and other local areas across Europe, very significant state funding is provided. It may be provided in an indirect way through local authorities or municipalities and not directly by the state. Surely, there is the opportunity, given the importance of this issue, to look at every option.

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