asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the amount of State funds available for work on the Howth harbour development in 1985.
124.
Written Answers. - Howth Harbour.
123.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the total cost of the Howth harbour development as at 31st March 1985.
125.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry when the ice plant will be completed and in operation in the Howth harbour development.
126.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the value of fish landed in Howth harbour in 1984.
127.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry in view of the need to provide manufacturing units allied to the fishing industry in the Howth harbour development, if he will state when such facilities will be made available.
128.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the number of vacant sites available for leasing to suitable applicants in the Howth harbour development.
129.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry when it is proposed to approve applicants for the leasing of vacant sites in the Howth harbour development...
130.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry when it is proposed to erect the fish auction hall in Howth harbour.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 to 130, inclusive, together. A sum of approximately £820,000 will be available from the Fisheries Vote for harbour development works at Howth in 1985. The expenditure up to 31 March 1985 on development works at the harbour amounted to £10,674,421. I understand from Bord Iascaigh Mhara that the ice plant is now in operation at the harbour. The value of fish landed at Howth in 1984 was £3,006,562.
The Howth harbour development scheme makes provision for a number of sites for leasing for the establishment of fish related industries. It is, of course, a matter for private enterprise to avail themselves of these sites for the erection of manufacturing units to suit their own requirements. In accordance with an undertaking given to existing tenants on the west pier that they would be afforded the first option on these sites, my Department will shortly be discussing the matter with them to ascertain their interests. When this has been done other applicants will be considered for the remaining available sites.
Finally the erection of an auction hall at Howth has been under consideration in the context of the development scheme for the harbour. However in view of the limited funds available for fishery harbour works generally and the need to allocate these funds as equitably as possible on the basis of the most urgent and pressing projects throughout the country it has not been possible to include this particular project for Howth in the Fishery Harbour Development Programme for 1985. I am not in a position to say at this stage when the project will be undertaken.