Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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46. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he is taking to improve direct ferry links to Europe in view of the imminence of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16270/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Ireland is well served by ferry links to the Uk and continental Europe. These links are frequent and competitive, and are vital to facilitate trade and tourism.

All shipping companies servicing routes to and from Ireland operate as independent commercial companies. Any new initiatives to enhance shipping services must be market driven. My Department has no function in, nor finance for, the provision of ferry services.

Ports and shipping companies are currently exploring the feasibility of new shipping routes directly to continental Europe and increasing capacity on existing routes, particularly in the context of Brexit.

CLdN Cobblefret launched a new 234m Ro-Ro freight ferry, the M.V. Celine, with a capacity of 8,000 lane metres on the Rotterdam-Zeebrugge-Dublin route in October 2017. Brittany Ferries will commence a new service between Cork and Santander at the end of April with return sailings twice weekly. In addition, Irish Ferries is expected to deploy its new cruise ferry the W B Yeats on the Dublin-Cherbourg route later this year.

Shipping services are market driven and ferry operators have in the past responded to economic developments and increased or decreased capacity in response to these developments. I expect that following Brexit ferry operators will adapt to changing market demands.