Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 May 2000

Vol. 519 No. 4

Adjournment Debate. - Harbours and Piers.

Mr. McGinley

Portnablagh pier is situated amidst some of the most spectacular scenery in Ireland. The famous Sheephaven Bay stretches out in front of it with Horn Head standing sentry to the south and Muckish Mountain as the backdrop to the north.

In recent years the pier has sadly fallen into a state of disrepair, like many other small piers along our coastline. The seriousness of its condition was recognised last year when renovation works were carried out. The project was not fully carried out, however, due to the grant being exhausted. At present the pier is in an unfinished state and is of no benefit whatsoever. It is simply unusable; it is as useful in its present unfinished state as a house without a roof.

This presents very serious difficulties, not alone to local fishermen, who are completely dependent on this facility for their livelihoods, but to others, such as visitors and pleasure craft users, not to mention the Tory Island ferry, which uses the pier occasionally as a point of departure for the island. The major harbour development taking place in Tory Island has been serviced from Portnablagh. In its present unfinished state, it is impossible for the barge to use it this year.

Portnablagh and Sheephaven Bay, near the holiday town of Dunfanaghy, have an international reputation as holiday destinations. Dunfanaghy, Portnablagh, Sheephaven, Horn Head, Shandon and Marble Hill are familiar place names to discerning tourists and visitors from Northern Ireland, Britain and further afield. The pier is the focus of aquatic activity but in its present state it is unusable. Significant improvements were made last year. Now an additional allocation to complete the project is needed. An allocation in the region of £50,000 would be sufficient to complete the restoration to a satisfactory standard.

At present activity cannot take place at Portnablagh pier due to the unfinished state of the renovation scheme. Access to the pier is impossible. Regular users, be they fishermen or holiday mak ers, the Tory Island ferry or barge, have had to land and depart elsewhere along the coast. We are now entering the busy season as far as Portnablagh pier is concerned. Salmon and other fishermen are in a state of preparation. The tourism season has got off to a promising start. The pier, one of the most important facilities in the area, is beyond reach and it is a hindrance to water related activity in Dunfanaghy and Portnablagh.

Will the Minister sanction this allocation as soon as possible so the pier can be restored and be of service and benefit to the local fishermen and others who have occasion to use it? All relevant documents and reports have already been submitted by Donegal County Council to the Department and all that is required is the nod from the Minister to give this project the green light to proceed.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. N. O'Keeffe)

I welcome the opportunity to advise the House of the position in the development of fishery harbours and landing places nationally and in County Donegal in particular.

The availability of safe, modern and efficient harbours, piers and landing places, together with facilities such as ice plants, is critically important for the future of the sea fishing and aquaculture industries. Without top class facilities of this kind, fishermen and fish farmers will not be able to deliver their product within the time scales or to the quality standards now demanded by markets. Infrastructural deficits around the coastline have to be tackled, therefore, in a way which will underpin the future growth and prosperity of the seafood sector generally.

The Government is fully committed to providing the necessary facilities and infrastructure for the sector. Under the national development plan £60 million will be spent over the period 2000 to 2006 on extending and improving berthage and onshore services. This expenditure will focus primarily on strategic fishing ports such as Killybegs. It will also take account of the needs of smaller harbours and landing places, many of which have an important role in the economic life of areas where alternative employment opportunities may be limited.

The Deputy can rest assured that fishery harbour development plans under the national development plan will take account of the importance of the fishing industry to County Donegal. A major project for the provision of a significant extension of berthage facilities at Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre, which will cost some £20 million, is in train, together with a programme of works to upgrade and improve the existing infrastructure at the harbour. In addition, the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources announced last week that a major development programme costing £3 million, con sisting of dredging works and the construction of a new quay wall, is being initiated at Greencastle. A major dredging project, costing £1 million, will also take place this year at Burtonport.

This substantial programme of investment in these three key strategic fishery harbours is being complemented by the provision of financial assistance to Donegal County Council for works at smaller harbours and landing places. Assistance has been given to the local authority over the last year for works at 13 locations.

Turning to Portnablagh, the pier there is owned by Donegal County Council. For this reason, it is primarily a matter for the local authority to determine what development or upgrading works should be carried out there. My Department's role is to determine, having regard to the available funding and the overall development requirements for fishery harbours generally, what financial assistance, if any, can be given for works which the local authority wishes to undertake.

Donegal County Council sought assistance last year to carry out dredging works and the construction of a slipway at Portnablagh. Grant aid of £113,000 was paid to the local authority in respect of these works which cost £150,000. The local authority has now approached my Department for funding for additional works which it wishes to carry out there. These are the construction of retaining walls and the provision of a concrete deck adjacent to the new slipway, as well as the removal of rocks at the harbour entrance and repairs to the head of the pier. The county council has sought funding of £50,000 for these works.

I assure the Deputy that this request from Donegal County Council is being considered as a priority by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources and that the Minister will respond to the local authority on the matter shortly.