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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 18 Oct 1939

Vol. 77 No. 5

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Alterations in Shipping Services

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state whether he has seen a reference in the Railway Gazette of the 6th October suggesting that changes were impending in the freight shipping services between Éire and Great Britain, and that discussions were taking place on the possibility of the dispatch of Irish cattle and produce by way of Northern Ireland ports to Great Britain in order to facilitate the system of convoy across the Irish Sea, and if he will state whether he has been consulted in connection with such changes, and whether he has taken part in, or been invited to take part in, such discussions, and whether he will state what the changes referred to were, and what the result, if any, of the discussions has been.

I have seen the reference in the Railway Gazette of the 6th October as to rumours of impending changes in the freight shipping services between Éire and Great Britain. I am not aware of any impending changes of the nature suggested and have not been consulted in connection with any such changes.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state whether he is aware that the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company have reduced their weekly goods-carrying sailings between Dublin and Holyhead from 12 to six. and that the British and Irish Steam Packet Company have reduced their weekly goods-carrying sailings from six to three, with the result that traffic has been diverted from the Port of Dublin, and inconvenience and expense caused to shippers, together with reduction of employment of dock workers; and whether he will state what the reasons for these changes are, whether he has been consulted in their regard, whether he has made any objection thereto, and if so, what was the result, and if he will state if and when it is proposed to restore the full services.

The London Midland and Scottish Railway Company operated a service from North Wall to Holyhead for the carriage of goods and live stock on each weekday evening with additional services at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and at 12.45 p.m. on Thursdays, making nine services each week. The afternoon service on Tuesdays and Thursdays has been substituted by an additional service in the evening on these days, as the traffic offering in the afternoon did not justify the continuance of the services and it was considered safer in the present emergency to operate the services after dark. The afternoon service on Wednesdays, which was only operated subject to traffic requirements, has now been discontinued owing to reduction in traffic.

The British and Irish Steam Packet Company operated between Dublin and Liverpool a service for passengers and goods as well as a service for the carriage of live stock each weekday. The company in addition operates weekly services to other ports. Owing to reduction in passenger traffic the service between Dublin and Liverpool for passengers and goods has been reduced to three days each week. The other services operated have not been altered, and the company states that it has no difficulty in handling all the goods traffic available.

I am not aware that these alterations of shipping services have resulted in the diversion of traffic from the port of Dublin. Any reduction of employment of dock workers, which may have resulted from the alterations, appears in the circumstances to have been unavoidable.

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