Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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71. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding plans for increased rail connectivity for Dublin Port; if his Department has carried out any assessment to include greater freight rail connectivity in the Port 3FM project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15569/23]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Dublin Port Company (DPC) is the largest and busiest port in the State serving the trading needs of Ireland with on average 70% of all vessel visits and over 50% of all tonnage handled by ports in Ireland. National Ports Policy (NPP) categorises DPC as a Port of National Significance (Tier 1) and it is a ‘Core’ port within the TEN-T Regulation at a European level.

It is a legal requirement for ports recognised under Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 or the trans-European transport networks for Transport (TEN-T) to have rail connections in place by the deadlines set out in the regulation. ‘Core’ ports, such as Dublin Port, must have working rail connections by 2030 and ‘Comprehensive’ ports must have rail connections by 2050.

The container rail freight service to Ballina continues to operate with five return freight services per week from Ballina to Dublin Port. In addition to the Ballina rail freight service, all of Tara Mines exports of lead and zinc ore concentrate are delivered to Dublin Port by rail.

Rail freight operates to two ports in Ireland, Dublin and Waterford: the latter since a twice-weekly rail freight service between Ballina and the Port of Waterford recommenced on 29 September 2021. Currently, rail accounts for less than 1% of all movements of containers and trailers through Dublin Port and less than 1% of all such movements through all Irish ports.

My department, in cooperation with the Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland), is undertaking a strategic review of the heavy rail network on the island of Ireland. The All-Ireland Strategy Rail Review will consider all issues in relation to inter-urban and inter-regional rail connectivity, including the potential for high-/higher speed(s), improved connectivity to the Northwest and rail connectivity to our international gateways, with the latter considering the potential role of rail freight. Dublin Port and Irish Rail have stated that they are committed to working towards facilitating rail freight to the port and the matter is being considered in the context of the All-Island Rail Review. It is expected that the Review will be published in the second half of 2023.

The 3FM project proposed development focuses on Dublin Port-owned lands on the Poolbeg Peninsula and follows on from the first two Masterplan phases focused on the Port lands north of the bay – with considerable work completed on the Alexandra Basin Redevelopment, and MP2 which has recently commenced construction. Rail connectivity to the 3FM project is being considered in the context of rail connectivity to Dublin Port as a whole in the ongoing discussions between Dublin Port and Irish Rail. Consultation on the 3FM project began this month.

I believe strongly in the potential of rail freight to make a significant contribution to climate action initiatives and tackle road congestion. That is why, as part of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, I have included it as a specific topic of focus.