The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods, has said that the State's ports were responsible for putting through 95 per cent of the Republic's trade.
"They deal with 95 per cent of the Celtic Tiger trade, and we don't say this often enough," he told members of Drogheda Port Company yesterday at the signing of a contract for the next stage of the port's development.
The contract for dredging the channel from Tom Roes Point out to the sea will enable the port to handle vessels of 4,500 DWT (dry weight tonnage), considerably more than the existing 3,000 DWT.
The channel being dredged, at a cost of some £3.5 million, is five kilometres and should be completed early next year.
"The value and contribution to the regional and local economy made by the port cannot be understated nor, indeed, the reliance of local industry and agriculture on a cost-effective, efficiently managed port and onshore facilities to keep their products moving," Dr Woods said.
He said figures for 1998 showed that Drogheda port put through more than one million tonnes in commercial traffic and indications were that this would be matched this year. After Dublin, Drogheda was the main port in the State.
The chairman of Drogheda Port Company, Mr Seamus Davis, said the increased traffic which would be able to use the port "has prospects for huge potential".
The Minister referred to legal taken earlier this month by Coastwatch Ireland which claimed the work was damaging the habitat of birds. While he was restrained from commenting on the proceedings, he said, the port company had acted, and would continue to act, in full compliance with the terms of all the statutory requirements for the development.