Objection to New Ross port being used for munitions is lodged – ‘it came in almost by stealth’

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

The chair of the New Ross Municipal District (NRMD) has lodged an official complaint regarding the proposed importation of munitions through the town’s port. Last month it was revealed that the Irish Defence Forces had submitted an application to import munitions through The Port of New Ross and, as a result, Wexford County Council (WCC) drafted a new set of explosives bye-laws for the port to allow “importation of certain specified classes of explosive materials in certain conditions”.

However, Councillor John Dwyer, who is the chair of the local district council, has formally announced his opposition to the proposal, describing it as another example of New Ross being used for “dirty industries”.

Cllr Dwyer also raised concerns regarding the safety of importing munitions through a port which has many businesses and residences within close proximity.

“Dublin Port is well equipped to deal with the importation of explosives, New Ross is different,” he said. “If you look at a satellite map of the proposed area they intend to use there’s a very large halting site which is a stone’s throw from the jetty, there are also numerous workplaces within that area.”

Additionally, the independent councillor has questioned the lack of detail included in the bye-laws and asked whether the plans are linked to Ireland’s participation in an EU battlegroup this year.

“From a geopolitical point of view I’d have to ask why we need more munitions? This goes back to the creeping erosion of our neutrality. Ireland’s participation in an EU battlegroup this year is a sign of an obvious diminution of our existing sovereignty. Nobody is saying what’s coming in, the Defence Forces are not saying they intend to import 200 tonnes of munitions – and that leads to the question, where are these munitions is going to be stored?

“There was no big public announcement of this, it came in almost by stealth. I was surprised when I saw this on the agenda in our district meeting and I’m the chair.”

Drawing comparison with previous uses of the Port, Cllr Dwyer said there was a sense that New Ross had once more been earmarked for a role no-one else wanted.

“Why do we only get the dirty industries here? Fertiliser, coal, cement. We used to have ships coming in full of fertilisers, nobody gave a toss which way the wind was blowing and lots of people in New Ross died of cancer at a relatively young age during that time. You can’t help but wonder why New Ross has been once again chosen for something which is potentially very, very dangerous.”

Between the dates of July 9 and August 13 members of the public were invited to submit their views on this proposal to WCC via its online portal. There were just two submissions, one from Cllr Dwyer and one from a Mr Killian Redmond.

In his submission, Mr Redmond questioned the reasoning behind WCC’s decision to welcome munitions into New Ross Port.

“Why can the revitalisation of the port only be achieved through the importation of munitions?” he asked. “For years, large amounts of chemicals for the manufacture of fertilisers were brought in. Once again, New Ross is being selected to bring in hazardous materials. I understand that the Defence Forces no doubt have a requirement for importing munitions, albeit on a small scale. Why do we suddenly need to start bringing munitions through a new port?

“Once munitions are unloaded, I understand they will be moved on or else held in secure facilities in the port. Who will secure them? The Gardaí or the Defence Forces?”

Mr Redmond compared the proposal with the use of Shannon Airport by the US military and expressed his “extreme concern” about what these new bye-laws would mean for Ireland as a whole.

“We are essentially a NATO member in all but name and are moving away from our neutrality at an alarming rate. For those who oppose NATO, they would view the likes of Shannon Airport, and if the bye-law passes, New Ross Port as potential targets. My family lives about 7km from the proposed site and we are not exactly keen on living down the road from a potential military target.

"I view the plans for New Ross port as an attempt to open Ireland up to the arms industry. Yes, there will be munitions imported for use by the Defence Forces (the primary objective as per the draft) but I believe there is a secondary objective, that New Ross will be used as a depot to move munitions elsewhere, and perhaps serve as a point of export for our fledgling arms industry.”

With the public consultation period now closed, Wexford councillors will receive a full report on the proposed bye-laws at a forthcoming meeting before a decision is made on whether or not to adopt them, and thus approve the use of New Ross for the importation of munitions.