Rosslare ‘inundated’ with trucks parking in housing estates while €14.8m facility with 93 spaces lies empty
Wexford PeopleWhile the installation of bollards on the roads leading towards Rosslare Europort have prevented trucks from parking on the hard shoulder, the drivers have, as a result, been forced to seek refuge in residential areas instead.
Images taken by those living in the Thorndale and Ros Mor housing estates in Rosslare Harbour village show trucks parked in cul de sacs and private areas while they wait for their ferries to arrive at the Europort. Elsewhere in the village, the sight of lorries taking up multiple spaces in the car park outside Super Valu and on the road leading down to the port have become a familiar sight.
That this continues to happen while a site with up to 93 spaces lies idle just metres away is a source of contention for those living locally and those representing them in Dáil Éireann. And having previously raised the issue with Tanáiste Simon Harris, the Labour TD for Wexford, George Lawlor, has once more urged the government to utilise the former customs port in the Harbour to allow trucks to park.
The facility had, up until October of last year, been used to clear customs for lorry drivers, however, with the opening of the new T7 terminal at the Europort drivers can now receive clearance as they board their ferries. The former customs port has since been left empty - although it was temporarily used to house 93 trucks during the fuel protests, and the resulting blockade in Kilrane, in April.
That same month, Deputy Lawlor asked the Tanáiste to apply some “common sense” and open the customs port to allow trucks to “park safely while they wait to board their ships”.
The former customs facility in Rosslare Harbour. © Jim Campbell
In response, Deputy Harris explained that there were some ownership issues with the site which meant it wasn’t simply a case of opening it up and allowing trucks to park there.
“I have been engaging with Revenue officials on this and they have informed me that the old customs site is owned and managed by the Office of Public Works,” he said. “So what I’m going to do on foot of you raising this is ask Minister (for Public Expenditure) Jack Chamber and Minister (for the OPW) Moran to engage with you on this.”
Armed with this information, Deputy Lawlor has now asked just how much has spent on the development of the former customs port since it was opened for use.
He was informed by Minister Moran that the OPW purchased the site in 2019 to “carry out checks on goods entering the State from the United Kingdom” as there “was no available space within the Port” at that time.
“The site acquisition and construction costs incurred in relation to temporary facilities provided at Rosslare/Kilrane amounted to €14.8 million,” he added.
“The facilities at Kilrane were used by the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Health Service Executive to carry out Customs, Food Safety and SPS (Sanitary/Phytosanitary) checks to safeguard, human health, animal health and plant health in line with EU Regulations.
“Additionally, a part of the site was temporarily used as a transport park for trucks waiting to board ferries for the UK and the continent under an agreement between the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Transport.”
The minister confirmed that the “original intended purpose of the site” has now “concluded” and “the temporary parking area for trucks has ceased as per agreement with the Department of Transport”. A small portion of the site that was deemed surplus to requirements was disposed to Wexford County Council in 2024.
The main building on the site which was formerly used as the central facility to carry out spot checks on goods has been reallocated to the Revenue Commissioners since late 2025, with the building now supporting wider training needs associated with the Revenue Commissioners’ Customs functions. The spaces formerly used to provide animal welfare facilities are being reallocated to the OPW for use by the National Monuments Services.
According to Minister Moran the OPW is “actively planning for the future use of the other parts of the site”.
Reacting to this update, Deputy Lawlor said Rosslare Harbour continues to be “inundated with trucks to the detriment of the people living in the village”.
“Meanwhile there’s a site empty which has had €14.8m spent on it nearby,” he continued. “It’s nonsensical, I would hope that common sense would prevail in this instance, and that site, which has very good access to the port, is opened up for the trucks to park. I have asked the tanaiste to facilitate this, it’s an excellent facility and it would be a shame to see it continue to go to waste.”