The Government needs to act quickly to avoid a capacity crisis at Ireland's major sea ports, Ibec warned today.
Ibec's report into the ports sector published today concludes that the Government's forecast for freight underestimates the future rate of growth in container traffic by as much as 50 per cent.
"It is not acceptable for Government to adopt a policy of benign neglect with regard to ports investment. We are an island economy, where prosperity is almost totally linked with the expansion in trade," said Reg McCabe, Ibec's transport policy director, said.
Ibec predicts 70 per cent volume growth to 2014, departing very significantly from the official Government forecast of only 35 per cent growth.
"Continuing prevarication will damage trade and give competing economies the advantage," Mr McCabe warned.
He called for an end to the "analysis paralysis" approach to ports policy - referring to some Government departments' penchant for consultant reports.
"Much of this activity is simply duplicating what has gone before. Instead we need to urgently concentrate our energies on overcoming all obstacles to timely provision of vital facilities in our major ports," concluded Mr McCabe.