Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 July 2014
187. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding his proposal to introduce paid parking charges in Howth Harbour; and his position in relation to certain sections of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General entitled Financial Management and Reporting for Fishery Harbour Centres dated April 2014 which refer to parking charges in Howth. [31818/14]
View answerThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, owns and directly manages six Fishery Harbour Centres located at Howth, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, Ros an Mhíl, Killybegs and An Daingean. The introduction of paid car parking on Howth Harbour as part of an overall review of traffic management arrangements has been under consideration for some time.
The Comptroller and Auditor General published a Special Report on the Financial Management and Reporting for Fishery Harbour Centres on 8th July 2014. The report focuses on ways to enhance the financial arrangements in the Fishery Harbour Centres, and brings particular attention to the possibility of introducing paid car parking in Howth.
The question of paid car parking in Howth Fishery Harbour Centre remains under active review and the views of the Comptroller and Auditor General will be considered in making any final decision.
There is a broad range of other factors to be taken into account before a final decision will be made on the matter; first and foremost Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is a working fishery harbour, one of the six Fishery Harbour Centres in the State. The safe operation of the Harbour is of paramount concern, in this context, traffic management and parking is recognised as an issue, particularly, though not exclusively, during the busy holiday periods.
