€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 reopen 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 it intended to furlough 600 staff and make 150 redundant across the UK and Ireland, meaning that it has already made cuts ahead of this injection of government funding. Knowing the strategic importance of keeping these 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 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.’

Minister Kehoe said he will also be urging the government and the Department of Transport to provide assistance for hauliers who, due to the decline of Irish exports, are being forced to send empty trucks out to collect vital goods on the continent.