Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 June 2023
276. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the capital improvement funding that his Department is committing to this year and in future years to improve onshore infrastructure for small-scale vessels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26866/23]
View answerMy Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres (FHCs), located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros an Mhíl under statute.
In 2023, I allocated €37.3m funding for capital investment into the FHCs and a small number of other locations under my Department's remit. Details of the project allocation are available in tabular form online at www.gov.ie/en/press-release/bbd0b-minister-mcconalogue-announces-investment-of-373million-in-capital-projects-in-irelands-six-fishery-harbour-centres/
Facilities and infrastructure are available to accommodate both larger and smaller vessels in each of the FHCs. In fact, there are dedicated small craft harbour facilities in a number of the FHCs. And as part of this year’s funding, €750,000 is specifically allocated for the small craft harbour welfare building in Ros an Mhíl, and €300,000 for the small craft harbour service building in Killybegs.
Funding is allocated on an annual basis in line with national priorities for Exchequer funds and in line with priorities set by my Department.
