This disruption could impact the delivery of Christmas parcels between Ireland and the UK, with delays likely to extend beyond the festive season.

Following the storm, Stena Line, which owns Holyhead Port, announced the port would remain closed until December 20, with all ferry services canceled until then. However, concerns are growing that the port may not resume full operations before Christmas.

Taoiseach Simon Harris described the situation on Monday as increasingly serious. “It’s now highly unlikely that Holyhead Port will be functioning in any meaningful capacity before Christmas,” he said during a visit to Dun Laoghaire. “This is deeply worrying for those waiting on goods, presents, and parcels, as well as people hoping to travel home for the holiday period.”

He added, “The government Is working extensively on this issue. Today, the Minister for Transport and the Minister of State for Transport will meet with their Welsh counterparts.”

Ireland’s junior transport minister, James Lawless, met with Welsh transport minister Ken Skates on Sunday. Both ministers are set to meet with Stena Line representatives on Monday to seek clearer updates on the damage and repair timeline.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr. Lawless called on Stena Line to provide more “accurate and timely” information about the situation.

“This is an incredibly challenging scenario, especially at this time of year. Many small exporters rely on this route to reach the UK Christmas market, and of course, individuals are anxiously waiting for deliveries or trying to return home for the holidays,” he said.

To alleviate some of the pressure, Mr. Skates has agreed to temporarily relax driver hours, a measure already introduced by the Irish government over the weekend. Ireland’s Department of Transport announced that hauliers will be permitted to work longer hours and take fewer breaks until December 27, aiming to clear delivery backlogs.

Additionally, Ireland’s postal service, An Post, reported that most items ordered before Storm Darragh have been delivered, with just 16,000 of the 500,000 parcels still pending. Ferry capacity has been increased on alternative routes into Ireland, and extra sailings have been added to schedules.

Mr. Harris emphasized the government’s commitment to finding solutions.

“We’re exploring all options to increase capacity. Additional ferry crossings to other ports and extra shuttle buses are being considered to help people get home for Christmas,” he said. “We’ll provide further updates after today’s meetings.”