Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for being here. Cork is the capital city of the south. The Port of Cork is the second largest natural harbour and a key international gateway for trade. I ask that Cork Port become a designated port for the importation of non-EU fresh produce and that it would receive clearance personnel from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for these products. To illustrate the point I will describe the procedure for importation of non-EU fresh produce. The containers arrive at Cork Port and must be transported by road to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine inspection area in Dublin before receiving clearance to return by road all the way back to Cork for ultimate delivery. That places a cost of about €1,200 for each container. It is bad for the environment at a time when we are conscious of climate change. For example, three containers recently arrived in Cork and went all the way to Dublin and back down again. As we speak, more containers are being rerouted to Dublin. Deputy Colm Burke and I have been talking with the Port of Cork, as well as with members of the affected companies. The Port of Cork has no Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine clearance personnel for fresh produce. The only ports that currently have such personnel in place are Dublin and Rosslare. I ask the Minister of State to change this to reflect the growth of Cork Port and the importance of what Deputy Colm Burke and I are speaking about both in this House and in the Dáil. The increased costs, the administrative burden, the slowing down of goods in reaching the businesses that require them, are all adding to delays and frustration. It is particularly problematic for those importing fresh produce. There are inconsistencies in the system. I hope the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Transport can work together to ensure that we do not discommode people but make it easier for them to bring in goods and produce without having a situation in which goods are travelling to Dublin and back to Cork.