David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for a very positive response. I welcome the fact that the derogation has been granted temporarily in recent days for the import of melons, which I also mentioned in my presentation earlier. I also welcome the fact that it remains under consideration. I urge the Minister of State to deepen that consideration and make it viable.

I understand that the cost of building a customs inspection facility is approximately €1 million and the cost of kitting it out is approximately €500,000. The total budget comes to roughly €3.5 million, which is not huge in the overall context when we bear in mind the actual benefits to the country as a whole. Cork has a catchment area that represents a large and strategically important part of the State's population and economic base. Almost two thirds of the port's customers are located in Cork while more than 70% are in the south-west region and 92% are in Munster. This has important implications in terms of the requirements of the port capacity to serve this catchment area.

Gross output in the manufacturing industry located in Cork city and county represents more than one third of output across the State as a whole. Cork Port is, therefore, already a very important economic facility for our country. If it had this border control post, it could add to the services provided. As I said, the emissions would be reduced. Cork itself would become more attractive. Even though we have extensions and expansions in Dublin and Rosslare - I understand there is also work going on in Belfast - very often we may see congestion there. Having a border control post in Cork would actually help as well in that regard. There are, therefore, considerable strong arguments for examining this presentation further.

I welcome the fact that the Minister said both now and last January when I first raised this matter that it remains under consideration. However, I ask the Minister of State this evening to ensure that it goes beyond consideration and that people roll up their sleeves and continue the good work they are doing to ensure a border control post is put in position in Cork.

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