Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Transport the ferry links existing between Ireland and the UK and continental Europe; if there are proposals for further such ferry links; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13722/09]

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 37: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on the establishment of further sea ferry links into and out of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13723/09]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 37 together.

It is important that the market offers a diverse range of viable maritime links in and out of the State to facilitate trade and tourism. Ireland is well served by ferry links to the UK and continental Europe. These links are frequent and competitive. The full list of services can be viewed on the website of the Irish Maritime Development Office. Any new service must be market driven. It is not Government policy to fund international ferry services. Ireland has one of the most extensive short sea networks in Europe with multiple operators and various alternate modes of shipping available. In the past decade, there has been an 80% increase in the number of services between Ireland and the UK and European markets.

Shipping operates in a highly liberalised global market environment, which has enhanced competition on the key Irish routes. The ongoing development of our shipping network has provided the Irish market with more competition, choice and frequency in accessing the global market.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The loss of the Cork to Swansea connection has had a significant and adverse impact on the local economy, particularly in east and west Cork and south Kerry. Is the Minister of State aware that the local communities have made available a fund of €3 million to help restore this service? I understand there is a ship in one of the Nordic countries which could be purchased in order to return to the local economy the benefit of the link between Cork and Swansea. It is very important, particularly for tourism, and tourism interests are particularly concerned at the service's absence. What steps will the Minister of State now take with that €3 million in order to immediately restore this essential economic service to the area?

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the campaign to try to open the route again. An examination of the proposals has taken place and it has been said that subject to getting a suitable vessel, with the one mentioned by the Deputy being targeted——

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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It is available.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The report indicates the service could be viable on an all-year basis and I hope the efforts to get the service running are successful and it can be shown to be commercially viable. The Port of Cork and the Irish Maritime Development Office have both been in touch with the promoters and are trying to be as helpful as possible. We do not provide any State subsidy for such a route but I hope the proposals will be successful, the ship can be acquired and the service will get up and running again.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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I warmly support those comments. The Welsh Assembly and local interests in Cork estimate that the Cork to Swansea ferry was worth approximately €70 million to the two economies and it is therefore critical that we get it up and running again.

In general, it seems to some who observe ferry connectivity with Britain that such connectivity is declining rather than increasing. There are threats to Stena coming out of the port of Dún Laoghaire into Holyhead and sailings have been seriously cut back to one per day. Is the Minister of State aware of that and is the Department taking any initiatives to try to increase connectivity from Ireland out of Dún Laoghaire, Cork and our other ports not just to Britain but to continental Europe?

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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There is a considerable range of routes and services at present. Over the past ten years or so the overall capacity has increased significantly. I accept the Deputy's comments regarding Stena. Many of these services are partially passenger based but they are also freight based. Politicians and other interested groups consider the tourism perspective and more people are probably flying in recent years and fewer going by sea routes. What keeps the businesses going around the year is the freight rather than passenger side of things. Roll-on, roll-off freight has probably declined less than lift-on, lift-off or other bulk traffic during the world recession. There is a big capacity of routes, although I accept passenger and car routes such as Dún Laoghaire or Dublin Port are not what they were. They are not as popular as they were ten years ago.