The Government's commitment to "sustained" reform of the State ports has been questioned by the Irish Business and Employers' Confederation (IBEC).
IBEC has also proposed that an investment forum be established for ports, involving the National Development Finance Agency and private sector interests.
The confederation has welcomed the Government's new ports policy, published in January. It highlights affirmation of the strategic importance of ports as "vital corridors", and the Government's "pragmatic" stance on economic regulation within the sector.
Under the policy, the Government directs ports to run commercially without exchequer support,while also providing adequate capacity for future economic needs.
"Enhanced competition is recognised as the key to price restraint in the market for port services," IBEC says.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has criticised the policy as amounting to privatisation, with the risk that "crucial gateways" could fall into the hands of "speculators". However, IBEC says that the policy has "strong positive elements", but it questions "the depth of the Government's commitment" to "a sustained process of reform".
The confederation notes that the policy has no implementation timetable.
On finance, it questions the role of the State as "funder of last resort", given the comparative level of State investment in fishery harbours, and it recommends that a port investment forum outside the remit of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources should be considered.
IBEC takes issue without what it describes as a "generalisation" on ports efficiency. It believes there is an onus on the department to publish any available data on performance and productivity levels.
