Public consultation on the draft revision of the National Ports Policy 2013

A review of the National Ports Policy 2013 is being progressed by the Department of Transport (“the Department”.)

As an island nation on the periphery of Europe, the maritime transport sector plays a crucial role in the functioning of Ireland’s economy. Approximately 90% of all goods traded by Ireland pass through our commercial port network, underscoring the importance of a resilient and efficient maritime transport sector for our economic success.

The importance of our ports is not just economic. Located, as many ports are, in the hearts of urban centres and areas of environmental significance, how our ports interact with both the communities that provide their social licence to operate, and the marine environment is something in which we all have a vested interest. This revised policy will provide the vision for how our ports will meet these challenges.

A revised approach to National Ports Policy is also now needed to support our ports in dealing with the environmental, technological, demographic, and geopolitical challenges of the next decade and beyond.

A first public consultation ran from 19 October 2023 to 15 January 2024. Submissions were invited from all interested parties including ports, shipping operators, industry stakeholders involved in the broader logistics and supply chain sectors, academics, and the general public on a thematic Issues Paper to help inform the review of the National Ports Policy.

The first public consultation was also informed by the Irish Ports Capacity Study 2023 which assessed the capacity within the port system to meet present and future demand over the period to 2040, as was required by the National Ports Policy 2013. An Executive Summary is available at the link above and the full study is available here. (Link to the Irish Maritime Development Office website.)

The Department is now opening a consultation on the draft revised policy document. The objective is to present a new policy to the Government in 2026 following a thorough and inclusive consultation.

The key elements of the draft revision of the National Ports Policy 2013 include (but are not limited to):

• A revision of the prohibition on State-owned commercial ports availing of Exchequer funding schemes.
• The strategic development needs of port infrastructure to ensure port capacity for Ireland post-2040 is addressed;
• A review of Rosslare Europort’s ownership structure, previously mandated in National Ports Policy 2013, will be re-established and consideration to be made whether consolidation in the State-owned commercial port network would unlock additional competitive and investment opportunities;
• The Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) will be established as a standalone agency to reflect its existing statutory objective to serve and advise the Minister for Transport in maritime transport matters;
• A ‘Port Marine Code’ will be established on an administrative (non-legislative) basis; and
• The long-term resilience of the State-owned commercial port network to be tested to ensure contingency plans are in place, in line with the Programme for Government 2025: Securing Ireland's Future.

Responses will be reviewed by the Maritime Transport Division. Responses will inform the development of the final revised National Ports Policy.

The consultation period will be open until 27 August 2026.

All interested parties now have the opportunity to respond to the draft policy document as well as put forward any other relevant comments for consideration and/or to provide commentary on the attached environmental documents.

Submissions may be emailed to portspolicy@transport.gov.ie (MS Word, PDF) or sent by post to Maritime Transport Division, Department of Transport, Leeson Lane, Dublin, D02 TR60.

There is no prescribed format for submissions, however the Department suggests that you may wish to make reference to chapters and/or specific paragraphs within the draft policy document in your response.

The closing date for receipt of submissions is close of business 27 August 2026

Written submissions or observations received by the Department with respect to the proposed draft National Ports Policy and the strategic environmental assessment, appropriate assessment and strategic flood risk assessment of the proposed policy, with reference to the environmental reports enclosed on this page, will be taken into consideration before the adoption of the revised National Ports Policy

This is a public consultation, and the Freedom of Information Act 2014 and the Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) legislation apply.

To ensure privacy, any personal information you give this department will be protected under the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 and the Data Protection Act 2018.

You can read the Department’s privacy statement here.

The Department may publish the submissions received to this consultation on our website, www.gov.ie/transport. Personal, confidential or commercially sensitive information should not be included in your submission, and it will be presumed that all information contained in your submission is releasable under the Freedom of Information Act 2014.

A full list of those who make submissions may be published by the Department. Any personal data will be removed.

Submissions will be kept until the review process, and the implementation of any accepted recommendations, has finished.

You can view the Department’s Data Protection page which outlines how and when the Department collects personal data, why it is collected and how the information is treated. It also explains your rights in relation to the collection of personal information and how you can exercise those rights.