Mr Ryan has taken particular issue with the plan’s reliance on road freight to the exclusion of rail freight. He has also poured cold water on its ambitious growth assumptions. Some of the lands earmarked for dock development should be used for housing, he has said, and also to expand the adjacent Poolbeg nature reserve. ]
Mr Ryan said the plan has completely ignored the use of rail. “The 3FM project does not provide for the expansion of rail freight at Dublin Port. In fact, it appears to effectively consolidate the type of roll-on, roll-off and load-on, load-off trade which is completely reliant on road access. In my view, this is not a sustainable approach.”
Mr Ryan also told the board in the letter that it should have regard for the Housing for All initiative. He said he was aware that the board was engaging with the Land Development Agency but he was “frustrated at the slow progress to date”. He identified three blocks of land to the west of the northern part of the port which he said should be developed for up to 1,200 housing units.