Rosslare Europort is acknowledged as Ireland's most strategic port. It was made a border inspection post second only to Dublin because of this. However, no Government has applied for it to have tier 1 status so that it can access financial supports from the EU for infrastructural development in line with its strategic position. The programme for Government of 2016, under the heading about attracting jobs and investment and TEN-T funding, states: "In the first three months the new Government will apply to the European Union for the revision of the TEN-T CORE Network, including applying for the reinstatement of the crossborder Western Arc." That included Rosslare Europort. This never happened and the programme for Government of 2020 does not mention it either.

It would follow that if the reason for adding Rosslare to the core network was to create jobs and investment, then not to do so will result in the loss of jobs and investment. It will not stop there. The Government's negligence in not applying to the EU to make Rosslare a core network port like Dublin and Foynes will result in a failure to keep Ireland's exports and imports competitive. Commercial traffic will slow down because of increased regulation when Brexit is upon us at the end of the year. As an island nation, 90% of goods are moved by roll-on, roll-off freight services. The road freight transport sector will be subject to new EU legislation known as the mobility package which is detrimental to Ireland because of our geographic location on the periphery of the mainland EU. The need for a daily direct service to circumvent the chaos of the landbridge will never be greater. These calls have been ignored and to continue doing so will lead to a significant increase in delays, leading to an increase in cost for the landbridge that will not work. The people of Ireland will be unforgiving when rising consumer costs for the most basic of items such as bread and sugar, as well as job losses, could have been avoided.

I ask the Taoiseach to tell the country why the Government is neglecting to take actions that should be taken to keep the country from catastrophe now and post Brexit.

I thank the Deputy for her question and for raising the key issues pertaining to Rosslare Europort. In the context of Brexit, the Government is acutely aware of the necessity to work with the port and the Department and offices responsible in preparing for additional border controls and other impacts that will arise from Brexit. We acknowledge the role of Rosslare in that regard. The Deputy is correct that, given the challenges and difficulties that will arise with regard to the landbridge post Brexit, we need to make sure we utilise and maximise all available facilities and capacity that we have.

With regard to the tier 1 proposal, I think the Deputy is aware of how all of that developed in 2013 with the designation of ports on the basis of overall tonnage. At the time, the tier 2 ports received 2.5% of overall tonnage through Irish ports. Tier 1 ports received 15% to 20%. Post Brexit, the situation is changing and we have to diversify our approach. I know Rosslare Europort has been involved with the county council and the private sector and is seeking a free zone in that area. It is especially anxious to exploit the forthcoming opportunities that wind energy will present. We would be interested in combining both opportunities because there will be significant investment in wind energy over the next years. Ports will play an important role in servicing such activity. I hear the Deputy about the fundamental point of moving from tier to tier, but that obviously has broader implications related to port policy in general. There is the ongoing issue which we are all aware of with the ownership of the port and structures governing it. It is unique among the State's commercial ports and we should work on creating a better status for the port in the future.

On the Taoiseach's comments about ownership, it is not an obstacle to something like applying for tier 1 status. Given that applying for tier 1 status for Rosslare was in the 2016 programme for Government, I think it should be re-entered into the current programme for Government. I remind the Taoiseach that Foynes did not meet the requirements either. It was intimated that it was more to do with the Minister for Finance at the time coming from the same county. I appreciate the Taoiseach's comments about the free zone. He will know that Britain is preparing to apply for ten free zones post Brexit to prepare for the backlash of leaving the EU. I propose that Rosslare Europort become a free zone to allow an intake of stored goods and supplies that was not necessary until now because of the customs union. We tend not to store products. We must capitalise where possible and make Rosslare a free zone, which is the smartest way to allay fears that cash flows will be eaten up by duties and taxes on goods and storage, which will only serve to drive costs up again if that storage is not contained in a free zone. The land is available around Rosslare. The interest has been mooted, as the Taoiseach said. Brexit makes it a necessity. Will the Taoiseach make a further comment on whether or not it is the intention to create a free zone to combat ten free zones being prepared by the UK?

I confirm that we will examine the matter and give it our considered attention. At present, Rosslare Europort is undergoing a major transformation as part of its masterplan, which will see more than €30 million invested in customer facilities, port infrastructure, assets and new technology by the port authority and Ianród Éireann over the next five years. That is essentially for the modernisation and digitisation of the port itself. We have to re-examine broader policy as a result of Brexit. It is in that context that I take note of the Deputy's comments about the change from tier 2 to tier 1 status. I want to do so in an informed, structured way, and it has to be in the context of broader port policy. I appreciate the Deputy's concerns in this regard and her focus on the proposal about a free zone. There are secured custom areas within the European Union and we will work with stakeholders here to see how that proposal can be progressed.