Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 158: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will report on recent trends of decreasing volumes of trade through Irish ports; if he is bringing forward measures to stabilise and increase trade through the national ports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39864/08]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The changed economic climate has inevitably impacted on the volume of trade through the State's ports. In September the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) published its mid-year analysis of traffic volumes through the ports. This showed that throughput fell during the first half of 2008. The IMDO's analysis shows that roll-on/roll off (ro-ro) volumes were down 4%, lift-on/lift off (lo-lo) volumes were down 3% and bulk volumes were down 8% when compared to the same six months in 2007. On a more positive note, the analysis also shows that the traffic data for the 2nd quarter this year indicates no further fall in export volumes for this period.

Notwithstanding the changed economic circumstances, the provision of additional modern port capacity is still required in the medium term. Once the economy returns to growth, it will be important that the transport infrastructure is in place to facilitate this upturn. The Transport Programme of the NDP 2007-2013 contains a Ports Sub-Programme. The NDP estimates that the port infrastructure projects that may be completed in the lifetime of the current NDP will cost between €300 and €600 million. This expenditure will not be Exchequer funded, but will be funded from a combination of the internal resources of the port companies, private sector investment and other sources of commercial financing.