From around the country, representatives of Irish Port companies have expressed frustration at the rate of progress concerning planning decisions for future developments.
As RTE News reports, a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, chief executives from facilities in the Port of Cork, Dublin Port, the Port of Waterford, and Shannon Foynes Port were questioned about their long-term strategies.
The Port of Cork’s CEO Ann Doherty, in response, said there needed to be an integrated approach when it came to new initiatives.
"Strategic projects should not have to navigate disconnected planning, marine, environmental, road, utility, and funding processes," she said, calling on the Government to establish a single-delivery mechanism across all relevant bodies to oversee this.
Speaking at the Committee, Ms. Doherty pointed out that the planned development of ports had knock-on consequences, and she highlighted the need for the release of land for developments in housing and other infrastructure.
Several of the contributors raised the role of ports in accommodating offshore wind generation projects.
Currently a National Designated Maritime Area Plan for Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) is being formulated. The aim of ORE is to deliver 20 gigawatts to the national grid by 2040.
More here from port CEOs at the committee meeting.
