17th October 2011 – The new President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport*, Aidan Murphy, hascalled on the Government to deliver the proposed Dart rail link to Dublin Airportasa simple and inexpensive means of providing a useful and much-needed piece of transport infrastructure.

Mr Murphy wasspeaking at the inaugural Presidential address of the Institute in the Shelbourne Hotel this evening.**

Mr Murphy commented, “The transport and logistics sector hasan important role to play in efforts towards national economic recovery. We are a vital part of the supply chain, and given our geographic location an efficient logistics and transport sector is fundamentally important to the smooth operation of our economy.

“We fully understand that we are in a new era where we must make best use of existing transport infrastructure rather than call for new developments that we cannot afford now or in the foreseeable future. This wasrecognised in our Institute’s own review of the Transport 21 package that we undertook last year and which identified a number of key areasto priorities.

“However, there is still need for some improvements to be made. That is why I wholeheartedly support the development of the Dart rail link toDublinAirportasan example of a transport project that does not try to reinvent the wheel, rather provides a simple and affordable solution to an existing transport need.

“In addition, now that we have a greatly expanded and improved road networkasa legacy of the Celtic Tiger years, I would also call for the introduction of dedicated routes for longer heavier goods vehicles between major towns and cities. These will encourage the distribution systems and would improve our business competitiveness. They would also reduce distribution costs and lower greenhouse gasemissions.

“Solutions suchasthese must be identifiedaswe seek to do more with less. Our Institute is ready to work with the Government in using our expertise on behalf of the transport and logistics sector in helping identify solutions that work for all of us.”