€15m fund for ferry operators is ‘vital to keep supplies on shelves’
MINISTER Paul Kehoe has stated that the government decision to provide a €15 million ‘emergency package’ to ferry operators to ensure the continuation of four sailing routes out of Rosslare Europort is vital to ‘ensure food and medical supplies remain on our shelves’.
It was announced last week that the €15 million fund was being made available to ferry operators, after they requested government assistance, stating that due to a sharp decline in passenger travel, they could no longer continue to operate. Of the five routes cabinet agreed to designate as ‘public service obligation routes’ nationwide, four of them operate out of Rosslare - Stena Line’s routes to Cherbourg and Fishguard, Irish Ferries’ service to Pembroke and Brittany Ferries’ route to Bilbao.
The funds will cover a minimum three month period in order to ensure continuity of these services and at the time of the announcement Minister Kehoe stated that ‘this emergency measure is extremely welcome, given the huge collapse in tourism that is affecting the entire industry.’
Although the move was seemingly taken with a view to maintaining a sustainable future for Rosslare Europort, it also generated some criticism. Owners of other businesses affected by Covid-19 closures felt that the government was taking the decision to bail out Swedish (Stena Line) and French (Brittany Ferries) companies while many Wexford businesses are faced with a very real threat of being unable to re-open when restrictions are lifted.
‘I do understand the frustration, 100% I do,’ Minister Kehoe said. ‘But the fact is, that we import a huge amount of our foodstuffs and medical supplies and the vast majority comes in via ferry. It’s vital. We need food and medical supplies. This is not about foot passengers or cars, it’s about haulage and it’s about exports which pass through the Europort too. If these companies go bust, then these vital supply lines won’t be available to us when we’re recovering from this.’
Last week, Stena Line announced that they intended to furlough 600 staff and make 150 redundant across the UK and Ireland, meaning that they’ve already made cuts ahead of this injection of government funding. Knowing the strategic importance of keeping these Rosslare routes operational and how vital they are to the future of the Europort, some have suggested that the ferry operators have the government over a barrel, something which Minister Kehoe denies.
‘I wouldn’t say that no,’ he replied. ‘These operators have been given strict conditions and for the three months they are seen as public service operators. They haven’t been able to call this all their own way and they had to sign up to conditions imposed by the government as well.’
While welcoming any form of investment in Rosslare Europort, Chairman of the Rosslare Municipal District Cllr Ger Carthy was a little sceptical of the move.
‘I don’t think we can hand over the chequebook to private companies,’ he said. ‘Especially when only a few days beforehand one of those companies has laid staff off. Having said that it is of vital importance to keep trade links open. Providing some money for Rosslare is the least the government can do and I would hope for further investment when all of this is over.’
Minister Kehoe said that further to the emergency fund for ferry operators, he will also be urging the government and the Department of Transport to provide assistance for hauliers who, with the decline of Irish exports during the crisis, are being forced to send empty trucks out to collect vital goods on the continent.