The recommendations of the Irish Sea Resilience Taskforce have been published.
The recommendations outline how to achieve improved resilience, better contingency plans that will protect connectivity for passengers and improve how disruption is managed. They have been agreed by all partners and next steps include an annual bilateral meeting between Irish and Welsh transport officials.
The Taskforce convened in March 2025 in response to the impact of the temporary closure of Holyhead Port in December 2024. Members of the Irish and Welsh governments, transport officials and stakeholders worked collaboratively on a review of what had been learned. The Taskforce focused on using this experience to further safeguard connectivity and build resilience across ports and port infrastructure, now and in the coming years.
Minister of State with responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, Seán Canney said:
“I thank Cabinet Secretary Ken Skates for his leadership of the Taskforce over the last nine months, along with all the officials and stakeholders who have worked on it. We have both strengthened old relationships and established new ones, which will continue through annual meetings and regular communication.
“Although the circumstances were far than ideal, I am delighted that our two departments have been brought closer together and I look forward to the deepening of this relationship over the coming years.”
Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates said:
“Discussions within the Irish Sea Taskforce has reinforced the importance of Holyhead and our other Irish Sea facing ports to communities in Wales and Ireland and beyond, and our shared interest and responsibility, both now and in the future, to make sure they thrive and grow. We will continue to work closely together building on our strengthened relationship.”
