Opposition parties increase pressure over Swansea route

OPPOSITION parties piled on the political pressure last night as talks to restore the Cork Swansea ferry route remained delicately poised.

Fine Gael accused government parties in Cork of abandoning the route.

“Their silence about the loss of this ferry service is deafening,” said Cllr Dara Murphy.

He was speaking after city councillors agreed to suspend standing orders to discuss the issue.

“We are directors of Cork Inc and our job is to lobby,” said Mr Murphy.

“Since the Aer Lingus route from Shannon to Heathrow was axed, we’ve had Prime Time specials and Questions and Answers looking at the issue, because people up there are screaming about the loss of a resource.

“I don’t come in here to sleepwalk around and smile, and say everything is fantastic in Cork. We must all shout for this service.”

Party colleague Cllr Patricia Gosch said time to restore the service was running out.

“Not having a service in place this year will spell financial disaster for the region,” she said.

It has been estimated the loss of the service could cost the region of €35 million in lost revenue. But Fianna Fáil councillors said that figure was grossly overestimated.

Cllr Terry Shannon said the fact people are not on the streets campaigning for a restoration of the service suggests to him that it’s not as big an issue as is being made out.

“People are trying to whip this issue up,” he said.

Cllr Damian Wallace (FF) said the contribution the ferry service made is not as significant as it once was.

There were also calls for the state body responsible for strategic planning in the south to set up a task force to look at restoring the service.

South West Regional Authority chairman, Cllr Michael O’Connell (Labour), said the agency should examine whether the local authorities in Cork and Kerry could get involved.

But Mr Shannon dismissed the setting up of “another quango” as nonsense.

Sources close to the ferry talks said discussions were still at a critical stage.

A west Cork-based businessman, who is originally from Kerry, and other stakeholders have held several meetings in recent weeks and are looking at sourcing funding.

Two potential vessels have been identified, costing €20m each.