MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT Eamon Ryan has expressed concern about Dublin Port’s plan to redevelop the south port area, known as the Poolbeg Peninsula, and increase its capacity.
The 3FM Project is the third and final part of Dublin Port’s Masterplan project, which anticipates that the port will maximise its capacity for an annual throughput of 3.1 million trailers and containers by 2040.
Under the plans, Dublin Port Company will construct a new 2.2km Southern Port Access Route (SPAR) with a 190m bridge across the Liffey adjacent to the existing Tom Clarke Bridge and running parallel to the East Link toll road.
It will also construct a new container terminal, which would be the largest in Ireland, with a capacity to handle 353,000 units annually – more than twice the number of containers handled in all other ports in the country last year.
The plan is currently open to public consultation.
The Green Party leader has written a letter to the board of Dublin Port expressing concern over the plan.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he said the port’s planned expansion will double its capacity.
“It already handles about half of all traffic in and out of the country. Most of that is by truck, either by roll-on, roll-off or lift-on, lift-off containers, but it’s planned to double that,” Ryan said.
He said he did not think that level of growth was feasible or in line with the country’s climate and circular economy targets.
“The ongoing reliance on trucks, taking that massive increase – up to 77 million tonnes from 35 million tonnes today – onto an M50 that’s already at full capacity and relying on a truck-based system, rather than looking to the future as other countries and other ports are doing, to decarbonise and to start bringing back rail freight,” he continued.
He said reviving rail freight would be a “key project” for the Government and that “major investment” is planned for Shannon Foynes, Cork Port and Rosslare Port to “help take some of the trucks off our roads to reduce emissions and make us a more efficient and forward-looking country in our transport system.
“We cannot see our roads continue to be clogged, emissions continue to rise and an ongoing projection of just doubling everything in a way that is not sustainable.”
Ryan said it is also “critical” that some of the port land is used for the provision of housing, adding that Dublin Port “are engaged with the Land Development Agency, but I want to see that actioned now”.
He also said that the planned use of the Poolbeg Peninsula for large areas of trailer storage and container storage “in my mind, is not the best use of that land”.
“We need to extend the nature reserve in the Poolbeg Peninsula because the biosphere in Dublin Bay is important. It’s important to any new developments we do. We do give space for nature.”
Asked if his coalition colleagues in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael agree with his view, Ryan said he was “in constant touch with my colleagues in what we’re doing on our transport strategies, and yes, it is Government policy”.
“I’ve got great Government support for investing in Cork, Rosslare, Shannon Foynes, Waterford ports, so that we don’t just see all the development on the east coast of the country.
“I have a particular responsibility as Minister for Transport to make my views clear, particularly when it comes to the provision of housing in public lands, for our use of public lands for housing. Government is absolutely committed to take action there so that we use public lands to help address our housing crisis.”
Asked if he thought Dublin Port Company would revise the plans due to his letter, Ryan said the reasons he has expressed are “rational”.
“We carried out some analysis within our Department and looking at what we see as the projected needs, and it’s roughly half of what is set out and it’s a very ambitious plan, I believe that rational argument will, in the end, see a development that’s more sustainable,” he said.
“There are other very significant developments happening at Dublin Port. They’re building in the Alexandra Basin at the moment. There’s major developments taking place. It’s not saying no to the development of Dublin Port, but it’s saying it has to be in line with a more sustainable vision of the future.”
In a statement, Dublin Port Company said it “notes the Minister’s comments and looks forward to engaging further with him in this regard”.
“The 3FM project is consistent with the Dublin Port Masterplan 2040 which was first published in 2010 and has already seen planning secured for two other major capital projects,” the statement reads.
“Dublin Port is fully committed to the sustainable development of its assets in line with its statutory responsibilities and the national priorities and we will take all views and feedback into account as part of this process.
“The Masterplan, including the 3FM project, is fully aligned with EU policy, national policy, regional policy and local policy.”
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