Call for seaports policy change

IF the Irish economy is to continue to achieve the levels of growth we have come to expect, Government policy will have to take development of our seaports seriously, Dermot O’Mahoney, chairman the Port of Cork Company warned yesterday.

In the last 10 years Irish ports have handled nearly half a billion tonnes of cargo, almost twice as much as in the previous decade.

Up to €300 million has been invested in facilities and our customers have invested even more.

With our population exceeding four million for the first time in over 150 years, higher rates of economic growth have turned more attention on key players like facility providers and ports are required to sustain this very positive trend, he said.

Addressing the National Ports Conference in Kinsale, Co Cork yesterday the chairman called for the on-going development of Irish ports.

A critical consideration will be bringing ports into a fully integrated trans-policy aimed at supporting their growing role in the economy.

It was high time the popular myth that Irish port charges are comparatively high was also exploded, he said.

Irish ports should not be expensive because of our peripheral geographic location.

“When assessed in a European context, Irish ports are not expensive. Many UK and continental ports are more expensive than Irish ports,” he said.

Thanks to sound investment, the commercial ports have out-performed other public sector infrastructure suppliers, said Mr O’Mahony.

It is conservatively estimated that our ports will need to cater for more than 63 million tonnes by 2014, an increase of 46% on 2003.

The ports hotly dispute this conservative estimate and agree with the consultants that urgent action is needed. Irish ports handle 99% of goods shipped to and from Ireland.