Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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2. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the urgent actions his Department is taking to address the huge infrastructural deficits at Ireland’s ports; the level of funding his Department will be providing to ports to prepare for offshore wind energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21013/23]

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I wish to ask the Minister of State what urgent actions the Department is taking to address the huge infrastructural deficits in our ports, particularly Rosslare Europort. What level of funding will the Department provide to ports to prepare for offshore renewable energy? Will he make a statement on the matter?

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As set out in the previous reply to Deputy Martin Kenny, the Department continues to work with the State's ports as they progress projects in their master plans in line with national development plan objectives and national ports policy. The tier 1 ports of Dublin, Cork and Shannon Foynes all undertook significant capital expenditure in 2022. On 25 April 2023, the Government announced a tender to significantly upgrade facilities at Rosslare Europort. These upgrade works are necessary to provide permanent Brexit infrastructure at Rosslare Europort to ensure compliance with EU customs, sanitary and phytosanitary, SPS, and official food controls legislation, providing protection for the EU Single Market.

All of these developments must be financed by the companies without recourse to the Exchequer. They can be financed from their own cash, borrowings, EU grant funding or private sector involvement. Therefore, access to the trans-European transport network, TEN-T, connecting Europe facility, CEF, or other grant funding is vitally important to the ports. The Department assists ports in the CEF application process. The Government is also committed to ensuring that our national commercial ports are positive contributors to the ORE industry and that Ireland meets the ambitious targets of 7 GW of offshore wind, 2 GW of which is specifically dedicated to green hydrogen, by 2030. Supporting the development of port infrastructure is a core objective of the national offshore wind delivery task force and the Department is working very closely with the task force in this regard.

Under national ports policy, State commercial ports operate as independent commercial bodies. The policy does not provide for direct Exchequer funding. This policy has proven very effective in developing a highly competitive and responsive ports sector in which ports have continually proven to be agile in responding to market needs and opportunities. However, the need to maximise financing opportunities for ports is also recognised. In addition to support for ports as part of the CEF process, the Department continues to engage with all industry stakeholders, including potential financing partners such as the EU via the connecting Europe facility, the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF, and the European Investment Bank, EIB, to examine viable projects capable of generating a commercial return. Several ports are already working with financial advisers to finalise detailed business cases that will determine their investment requirements and how best they can be met. The Department has also engaged the New Economy and Recovery Authority, NewERA, to review ports plans and consider the availability of financing mechanisms to support the delivery of port projects.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Far be it for me to tell any Deputy how to do their job, but I have been saying for nigh on eight years that the expansion of Dublin Port is an absolute scandal. Dublin Port is overdeveloped. The reconfiguring for Brexit made the port a total disaster from a movement perspective. From the EPA's perspective, it is already overdeveloped on the basis of expanding the most NOx emissions this country has and paying huge fines at European level every year. We are the only country in Europe expanding an inner-city port. Every other country is removing ports from their main cities out into the regions. There is an opportunity to expand Rosslare Europort, to develop it and to give it the strategic position it deserves in the country. It is now our only port connected to mainland Europe. I ask the Minister to announce significant funding from the Irish Exchequer, which will give us a bang for our buck, rather than Brexit moneys that come from the EU to do exactly what it wants, which is to put in a border post.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The specific plans at Dublin Port relate to the growth that will occur, notwithstanding the need to ensure regional ports are also developed. It is about striking the balance in that regard. There will be a review as part of the national ports policy, into which we welcome the Deputy's input. I am aware of the Deputy's experience prior to politics. We are ambitious for Rosslare. We have seen a transformation in the level of trade and movement of goods through the port since Brexit. We are also trying to enhance the potential for Rosslare in the south-east region in the context of offshore wind infrastructure. That is why plans are being progressed to develop the ORE purpose-built quay and berth, with up to 50 acres in ORE quayside storage for the purpose of marshalling and assembly. As I said previously, this will require dredging of the channel to a depth of between 9 m and 11 m. The business case is being finalised, which we must receive before we address the question the Deputy set out. It is expected to proceed through the consenting phase in late 2023 and the planning application for Rosslare is expected in the fourth quarter of 2024, with a view to beginning construction in the third quarter of 2025.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I do not mean to sound condescending but I have expertise in the area of over 30 years. I will say it again. The M50 is the most congested road in this country. The European model is for an outer ring road to be built. Every major city in Europe with a dense population - not just capital cities - has an outer ring road or relief road for what we call the M50. I leave home at 5 a.m. and for 90 km that road is bumper-to-bumper with traffic, all converging on the M50 at a time when the boats dock in Dublin Port and all the commercial traffic enters the road as well. We do not need to develop Dublin Port further. We must examine the development of the regional ports with money the Exchequer will then get value for money from. We need it from a competitive perspective. We cannot have traffic sitting on the M50, further contaminating the air we breathe with NOx emissions. We must put the money in. We have all the plans in the world. I have been hearing about them, with all due respect, for years. The 50 acres will never be reclaimed unless the money goes in.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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It is not a case of either-or, thankfully, because the economy is growing at pace. We have a requirement to develop our regional ports, as the Deputy said. There is also a requirement to deal with the level of trade through Dublin. When one looks at the logistics pattern and the level of trade and the fact that a significant percentage of the goods and materials are delivered very close to Dublin Port, one can see that there will be demand within Dublin. As the Deputy said, there has been huge growth in Rosslare. We have very ambitious plans across several other regional ports in the east, south west and west. That is why we need the business plans and cases, which are being finalised at different stages across different ports, to enhance regional development of our ports. We share the Deputy's ambition for the regions, in which offshore renewable energy will play a key part. We are engaging with the various units in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage relating to MARA and trying to advance the consent process. The question on finance will be clear when we see the business cases, at which point we can assess that matter.