Passenger numbers at Dublin Port were close to 10% lower in the first quarter of the year, reinforcing concerns about a significant reduction in the number of UK visitors coming to Ireland as sterling fails to bounce back from its Brexit dip.

The number of passengers passing through the port was 270,000, 9.3% lower than the first three months of last year.

The number of tourist vehicles passing through the port fell by nearly 5% or 4,000 cars.

More positively, there was an increase of 1.9% in the number of trucks and cargo vehicles passing through the port while freight tonnage (all imports and exports) was more than 4.2% higher.

Dublin Port also announced that it will pay a dividend to the State of €11.7m in 2017, bringing the aggregate dividend payment since 2007 to €101.2m.

Eamonn O’Reilly, Chief Executive, Dublin Port Company, said: "Having seen growth of 25% in the four years to last December, 2017 has started strongly with growth of 4.2% in the first quarter.
 
"Growth at this level was the norm over decades before the economic crash after 2007. What we are seeing in Dublin Port’s volumes is entirely consistent with the strong recovery evident in the domestic economy in recent years."

He also highlighted the fact that the port hopes it will continue to grow as its €600m capital investment programme continues.

The Dublin Port Company will publish its long-term Masterplan for 2040 during the summer months.