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Brexit Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 January 2019

Thursday, 17 January 2019

Questions (218, 230, 231, 232)

Lisa Chambers

Question:

218. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the assessments and contingency planning carried out in relation to potential delays crossing the UK land bridge to mainland Europe and the way in which this may affect supply chains and the just-in-time delivery model used by many businesses. [2249/19]

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Lisa Chambers

Question:

230. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the Brexit related developments across all ports; the cost associated with each development; and the funding committed in 2019 for Brexit development at ports. [2239/19]

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Lisa Chambers

Question:

231. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans in relation to the UK land bridge in a deal and no-deal Brexit scenario; if he has assessed the impact on the road haulage sector here; and the supports being put in place to address same. [2240/19]

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Lisa Chambers

Question:

232. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated number of Irish trucks that use the UK land bridge weekly. [2241/19]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 230 to 232, inclusive, together.

The continued use of the landbridge as a key route connecting Ireland with the continent is a crucial concern given the level of imports and exports that are transported via this route, with 16% of the HGV traffic between Ireland and GB estimated to constitute landbridge traffic. The total value of our trade using the landbridge has been estimated to be approximately €21 billion. Goods using the landbridge include many time-sensitive or perishable goods, and are transported by truck on Roll-on / Roll-Off (“RoRo”) shipping services to and through the UK. Dublin and Rosslare ports handle almost all of this traffic

In a no-deal scenario, the ease with which these movements of goods currently take place will no longer be guaranteed. Additional customs, agriculture and health controls will be required at EU ports that trade with the UK. In the case of the landbridge route, the ports of Dublin, Rosslare, Holyhead and the Dover-Calais link are of paramount concern. In Ireland, the OPW, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Health and the Revenue Commissioners are already preparing by developing the necessary plans within Dublin and Rosslare Ports to allow for these controls. I am aware that similar preparations are ongoing in Calais.

The scale of the checks required will likely result in delays for goods moving through the ports but there is a focus on preventing congestion through the provision of appropriate measures.

The Brexit-related infrastructure work for both the no-deal and central case scenarios is focused on Dublin Port, Rosslare Port, and also Dublin Airport. This is based on an assessment of the scale of trade in goods that are moving between these locations and ports/airports in the UK. Other ports are separately assessing and planning for Brexit as part of the internal organisational functions. Final costs of works for the establishment of additional controls in Dublin and Rosslare Ports have not yet been determined. Costs in relation to other ports are an operational matter for those ports.

Some trade currently using the landbridge route may, depending on the nature of the product, switch to the direct routes to the continent. For others, some delays at UK and other EU ports may not be such as to constitute a significant deterrent to the continued use of the landbridge. However, the use of the landbridge for some other products that are perishable or very time sensitive may become unviable and may also not be viable on the longer direct maritime links.

The Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) study into the implications of Brexit on the use of the landbridge, published last November, estimated that approximately 150,000 Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) travel between Ireland and the continent via the landbridge each year. This would equate to a weekly average of approximately 2,880 HGVs moving between Ireland and the continent via the landbridge, although there can be peak times within each week, and also on a seasonal basis.

Officials from my Department have assessed the maritime capacity for direct sailings between Ireland and continental EU ports as a potential alternative for trade that currently takes place using the Landbridge. Based on consultations with the shipping sector and wider stakeholders, my preliminary assessment is that sufficient capacity will be available on direct routes to continental ports from end March 2019, and should demand for further capacity arise, the shipping sector can respond quickly to meet such demands. I will, however, keep this under review and report back to Government with a further assessment before the end of February. I will keep under review, in particular the emerging picture in relation to the degree and nature of customs and SPS controls at domestic, UK and relevant EU ports and the likely impact on traffic flows.

A cross-departmental Landbridge Project Group, chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was established in October 2017 and has been working on measures aimed at ensuring the ongoing effective and efficient use of the landbridge post-Brexit. The EU has agreed that the UK may join the Common Transit Convention upon its departure from the EU on 29 March 2019 , and a number of formal steps were taken to allow this to happen on 4 December 2018. This will enable the use of the EU’s internal transit procedure.

In its communication of 19 December, the European Commission states that in case of no deal, simplified border controls, limited to documentary checks for instance, would apply to live animals and animal products coming from a Member State but transiting through the UK. This would reflect the fact that this would be considered an intra-EU (Single Market) transfer.

The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI) has a range of supports available to business and details can be found on their website www.dbei.gov.ie. In addition, it has been very active in the 'Getting Ireland Brexit Ready' public information campaign. This campaign includes workshop events throughout the country aimed primarily at business and people most impacted by Brexit.

My Department is also working with Chambers Ireland to provide advice and information to their members throughout the country.

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