asked the Minister for Transport and Power if an outside company will be prepared to utilise the port of Rosslare Harbour for freight traffic; and if sanction will be given to any shipping company that is prepared to operate from there.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rosslare Harbour Traffic.
12.
I am informed by CIE, who are responsible for the maintenance and operation of Rosslare Harbour, that they would be prepared to consider sympathetically any application from a shipping company wishing to use Rosslare Harbour. No such application is before CIE at present nor am I aware that any shipping company seeks facilities for freight traffic at Rosslare.
Might I ask if British Railways would be consulted?
In view of the fact that the company is administered by a joint board of British Railways and CIE, I should naturally assume they would need to be consulted.
The Parliamentary Secretary in his reply referred only to CIE. Would I be correct in saying that both CIE and British Railways would have to be consulted?
In relation to an outside company coming in?
Yes.
Yes.
Is it not a fact that CIE own the harbour and are responsible for the merchandise coming in and out of that harbour?
Rosslare Harbour is operated and managed by CIE.
And therefore it is a matter for CIE?
As I have stated in my reply, they would be prepared to consider any application from any shipping company wishing to use the harbour. CIE have told me they would consider favourably any such application.
The Parliamentary Secretary's reply was satisfactory. I wished only to clarify it.
The Parliamentary Secretary did say that British Railways would be consulted or that he would assume that they would have to be consulted. What I want to know, and I think what Deputy Esmonde wants to know, is: does the sole decision rest with CIE?
The position is that Rosslare Harbour is owned by the Fishguard and Rosslare Harbour Company which is administered by a joint board of British Railways and CIE. In practice, Rosslare Harbour is operated and managed by CIE, but at the same time, I take it that if there was any approach by an outside company, CIE would discuss the matter with British Railways.
Would they give them the same assistance as they gave Cobh? You know what that means—cut their throat.