Sinn Fein spokesperson on Communications and Transport Martin Kenny TD has called on the state to clarify its position on the leased land in Dublin Port. The land, expected to be used for Brexit-related cargo checks by Revenue and the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine, has remained largely unused after agreement on Brexit was reached.

Speaking today, Teachta Kenny said:

“We’re talking about 14 hectares of land that was leased by two state agencies who were, quite rightly, trying to provide a solution to the anticipated long queues at ports post-Brexit. Ireland relies heavily on imports from Britain so the infrastructure of a so-called ‘red lane’ was more important here than anywhere else in Europe.

“Thankfully, we haven’t needed this additional space for import checks because of the agreements reached in Europe. Yet, this land is still being leased and remaining underused.

“This 14 hectares of space is completely underutilised. Most of the time these yards and lanes are not being used at all.

“There needs to be a review of that and recognition of the progress that has been made with Brexit and the Protocol deal. The red and amber lane have been used very little, and it’s unlikely that will change in future.

“As the port continues to undergo much-needed development to increase its capabilities, we simply cannot have this underuse of valuable space – not to mention the wasting of financial resources by the state in a lease that is no longer required.”