Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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57. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has spoken with his French counterpart regarding Brexit recently and the arrangements that France has in place for Calais and other ports. [4074/19]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I met my French counterpart, Minister Elisabeth Borne, on Brexit matters in Dublin on 23 November 2018. I highlighted the importance of transport connectivity and Ireland’s concerns in particular in relation to the continued use of the UK landbridge when the UK leaves the EU. We discussed also the potential implications for ports both in Ireland and in France given the levels of trade that both of our countries have with the UK. Minister Borne shared many of my concerns and said that France, like Ireland, was preparing for all scenarios, including facilitation of EU and Irish traffic at Calais.

The landbridge is the fastest shipping route to continental Europe and as such is relied upon by many Irish exporters and importers for the transport of time-sensitive products, such as those in the agri-food/perishable goods sector, just-in-time and high value goods.

An estimated €18.2 billion of our exports rely on this route, first travelling from Ireland by sea to the UK, making their way through the UK roads network to ports such as Dover, and then entering continental Europe at French ports, particularly the port of Calais. Disruption or delays on the Dover – Calais maritime link when the UK leaves the EU could considerably impact on hauliers and Irish businesses and is of major concern.

At official level, the Landbridge Project Group, chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and including officials from my own Department, the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and others has been working closely with the European Commission and other affected Member States (France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden) with a view to preparing EU ports to facilitate the transit of EU products through the UK once it becomes a third country through the use of EU rules on internal transit set out under the Union’s Custom Code.

A cross-departmental delegation of officials including from my Department travelled to France in November of last year for meetings on Brexit preparedness. The need for French ports to facilitate the movement of Irish trucks transiting the UK was discussed.

Irish officials also met with the European Commission for technical consultations on the landbridge in December 2018.

The Government will continue to work with our French counterparts, other EU Member States and the European Commission in seeking to ensure that the landbridge can continue to be an effective route for our businesses trading with the rest of the EU Single Market.

Separately, a number of representatives from French ports have travelled to Ireland to meet with Irish port representatives on a number of occasions and most recently in January of this year.