Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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530. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the review by the Irish Maritime Development Office into the use of the UK landbridge by exporters and importers here. [2336/19]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I refer the Deputy to my answer to PQ number 2337/19, copied below.

The Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) report was published in November 2018 and is available on the publications section of the IMDO website (www.imdo.ie).

The report estimates that the annual volume of Roll on/Roll off (RoRo) traffic using the landbridge to transport goods to and from the continent is approximately 3 million tonnes, which equates to approximately 150,000 Heavy Goods Vehicles. The total value of trade with the EU using the landbridge is estimated to be €21 billion, and may well be higher. This is a significant proportion of Ireland’s trade and a significant aspect of Ireland’s international road haulage sector.

The study concludes that the landbridge is a strategically important route to market for many Irish importers and exporters and that certain sectors of the economy will be adversely affected, mainly those that trade in time sensitive goods, e.g. Agri-food, seafood etc. The study recommends that Ireland’s continued access to the UK landbridge is protected in the ongoing EU-UK negotiations.

There is ongoing liaison between Ireland, the European Commission and other similar affected Member States on matters relating to the land bridge. However, I have also assessed the maritime capacity for direct sailings between Ireland and continental EU ports as a potential alternative route for trade currently using the Landbridge. I recognise that the longer journey time on these direct routes may not offer a viable alternative and some trade will continue to use the Landbridge or, in the event of significant delays, may become unviable.

Based on consultations with the shipping sector and wider, I have advised Government that sufficient capacity should be available on direct routes to continental ports from end March 2019, and if demand for further capacity arises, the shipping sector can respond quickly. I am keeping this matter under review and will update Government again before end-February 2019.