The disruption caused by the closure of Holyhead Port must be considered in the Programme for Government, the President of the Irish Road Hauliers Association has said.

After sustaining infrastructure damage during Storm Darragh, Holyhead Port has been closed since early December.

Since then, all Stena Line and Irish Ferries services between Dublin and the Welsh Port have been cancelled.

On The Hard Shoulder, the President of the Irish Road Hauliers Association Ger Hyland said he hopes to see Holyhead included in the incoming Programme for Government.

"We would be hoping that there would be a task-force set up on Holyhead with ourselves included in the discussions," Mr Hyland said.

"We would hope that there would be investment by the Irish Government that this type of disruption can never happen again."

Mr Hyland said the Government could consider a number of actions including buying a berth or developing a port.

"We would also be looking for an extra shipping line to be brought on between Ireland and the UK – we need more competition on this route," he said.

Port of Holyhead, Wales, UK, Alamy

The disruption to hauliers caused by Holyhead's closure has been "horrendous", Mr Hyland said.

"We were travelling up and down the length and breadth of the UK trying to get ferries, trying to get space on ferries trying to get goods delivered in the UK, trying to get goods collected and getting bookings on ferries back here to Ireland," he said.

Mr Hyland said the Hauliers Associaion would not be able to set up a company to develop a port on their own.

"The cost of it would be prohibitive for the start," he said.

"We certainly would have had an interest in getting involved in talks and see where this is going to lead us and what kind of finance is going to be involved."

Holyhead is set to partially re-open this Thursday.

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Featured image: Cars driving on to Stena Line ferry at Holyhead Isle of Anglesey, Alamy