Hauliers have warned the Government that they require more than €60 million a month in financial aid if the Holyhead crisis is not to quickly begin to drive trucking firms out of business, reports the Sunday Independent.
The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) met Minister of State at the Department of Transport James Lawless in recent days and warned him that trucking companies could begin to collapse within weeks if there is no intervention, the newspaper says.
The IRHA has warned that this will have a severe impact on the economy because Irish exporters — particularly in food and pharmaceuticals — would face huge difficulties moving products, while construction firms and factories could be left short of supplies.
Holyhead has been closed since jetties were severely damaged by Storm Darragh.
Port closure impact
Consumers may face increased delivery prices for goods owing to the closure of Holyhead, An Post executive Garrett Bridgeman has told the Sunday Times.
Mr Bridgeman, who is the managing director and chief operating officer of mails and parcels, said he expected the port would remain closed past January 15th, the “ambitious” date being stated by port owner Stena Line.
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If the closure goes into February and March, retailers may look at either increasing the price of delivery on the item itself, while the rerouting of trucks to go to Fishguard instead of Holyhead will have “a knock-on effect” on offers of next-day delivery, he said.
Parnell Square tender
Dublin City Council has begun tendering for the €100 million Parnell Square Project, including the long-awaited landmark City Library, reports the Business Post. The library project, originally due to open in 2023, was two years ago delayed until 2027 amid questions over the viability of the project.
New tender documents show the council is seeking interested parties to build a new five-storey building of 6,100sq m at the rear of the Georgian houses from 23 to 28 at Parnell Square North, to form the core of the new City Library. This includes connections to the Georgian house at number 26 and to the Hugh Lane Gallery.
Ronan deal
Ronan Group Real Estate (RGRE), the property company led by the developer Johnny Ronan, has agreed a deal with alternative lender Capitalflow to finance the purchase of the Bewley’s Cafe building on Grafton Street and three other properties from bank-appointed receivers, the Sunday Times reports.
It is expected that a deal allowing Mr Ronan to buy back the properties will close early in the new year, according to the newspaper.
Apart from the landmark Bewley’s building, RGRE will secure a four-storey, over-basement property at 70 Grafton Street, where City Break Apartments and Permanent TSB are tenants. It will also retain control of interests on Adelaide Road and Percy Place.
Mercury jobs
Mercury Engineering, the Dublin-headquartered data centre builder and construction company, plans to create 1,000 new jobs over the next five years, according to the Business Post.
Established by businessman Frank O’Kane more than 50 years ago, Mercury focuses on data centres, life sciences, healthcare and fire protection. The business, which employs more than 2,500 people across Ireland, Britain, Germany, France, Benelux and the Nordics, is owned by the O’Kane family. It was involved in building Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
Oatier flotation plans
Irish oat drink company Oatier is planning a flotation on the Euronext Growth market in 2026, reports the Sunday Independent.
Oatier supplies oat drinks to cafes, restaurants, hotels and coffee shops across Ireland. The business is now also selling in Belfast, London and Paris, with further international markets under consideration.
Oatier’s flotation plans will come as a welcome boost for Dublin’s Euronext market. The Dublin market has seen a number of high-profile companies delist, while initial public offerings have been few and far between.
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