asked the Minister for Transport and Power if, in view of the loss of the container traffic from Rosslare Harbour, he has any plans to offset such loss and so maintain employment in the port.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rosslare Harbour Employment.
24.
I have been informed that the re-routing of container traffic formerly handled at Rosslare has not resulted in redundancy among the permanent staff although there has been some reduction in the off-season demand for casual workers taken on during the summer months in connection with carferry operations.
Any plans for the extension of shipping services to the harbour are a matter for the operators of these services in consultation with CIE who are responsible for the operation of the harbour.
Has the Parliamentary Secretary any plans to offset the redundancy?
No. It is not something that would come within my functions. The position is that there is the additional car ferry service from Le Havre which is taking up some of the goods traffic but, as I have just said in my reply, we have not redundancy as such only in so far as temporary staff are laid off at this time of the year.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not consider that is redundancy? If the port were closed down tomorrow would the Minister for Transport and Power have no say at all?
There is no question of closing the port down tomorrow.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary be unable to do anything if he has no function?
If that happened I am quite satisfied I would be able to do something.
British Railways run this port. When they decided to take away the container traffic the Minister was helpless.