An Bord Pleanala decision is a boost for Cork

Clune says decision on Port of Cork clears the way for EU funding

Ireland South MEP and member of the EU Transport Committee Deirdre Clune has welcomed the decision of An Bord Pleanala to grant planning permission for a multi-million euro upgrade of the Port of Corks container terminal at Ringaskiddy,

“We have just confirmed that the Port of Cork have received planning permission from An Bord Pleanala. I would like to congratulate the management team at the Port of Cork for all their hard work. This planning permission clears the way for a TEN T funding application that I have been helping the Port of Cork with. I am confident that the funding will be forthcoming from Europe. I hosted a meeting between the Port of Cork and the European Commission last month in Brussels to discuss their application. We will be hosting more of those meetings in the coming weeks.

“I have met with Professor Peter Balaz, who is in charge of the European Commission’s TEN T funding programme. He has visited the Port of Cork and was very positive when I spoke to him earlier this month.

“The failure to construct new deep water container berthing facilities to address the ongoing trend towards larger container vessels would place the Port of Cork at an operational and competitive disadvantage due to the current physical constraints experienced at Tivoli container terminal.

“The Port of Cork has invested over 72 million euro in infrastructure since 2000. The Port of Cork Company has 113 full time employees and twelve pilots. In addition, many hundreds of workers are employed by various service providers, e.g. shipping agents, stevedores, hauliers, warehouse operators and crane hire companies while some thousands of workers are employed in the many industries located around the harbour. Cork is a national gateway with significant growth potential and the Port of Cork is critical to the future development of Cork as an international business hub.

“If we want to continue to drive business growth in Cork, we have to ensure that we invest in our transport infrastructure. I am confident that this project will drive business growth in Cork and fuel our ever expanding export market from Cork.