Ferry service hopes are rising
Meetings involving Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan and all the relevant interests including the Irish Farmers Association, a French ferry company and live exporters have taken place in recent weeks.
Fears for the future of the €150 million trade arose after the shipping company P&O recently announced that it is to withdraw from the route later this month.
Ms Coughlan met with senior representatives of a major European shipping company to emphasise the importance of the trade in ensuring competition in the marketplace. She said afterwards she was optimistic the company would reach an early decision on providing a service based on the anticipated levels of the live trade and freight in the years ahead.
IFA Livestock Committee chairman John Bryan also said he was confident a new ferry service, which will carry live animals, could be operational early next year.
Speaking after two days of negotiations between IFA, the live exporters and the French ferry company, CMA-CGM, he said a proposal has now been put to the company and “we are hopeful of a positive outcome“.
Mr Bryan said the live exporters had worked hard to hammer out an arrangement to secure a new ferry service, which will also carry dry freight.
Mr Bryan said the IFA had also met EU officials about funding for a new ferry service and it was indicated a new operator on the Rosslare-Cherbourg route would qualify for such funding.
