Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 May 2017
553. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to construct a seawall at Machaire Rabhartaigh Harbour, County Donegal (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to a consultant’s report from 2015 that made a number of recommendations to solve the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26037/17]
View answer554. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will meet with a delegation from County Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26038/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 553 and 554 together.
Responsibility for the maintenance and development of Local Authority-owned harbours rests with each individual Local Authority in the first instance, Donegal County Council in this case, and its parent Department, the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government thereafter.
Given the ownership structure as clarified above, the group referred to would be best served to meet with Donegal County Council and its parent Department.
My Department does however provide limited funding to assist coastal Local Authorities in carrying out small scale projects for the development and repair of Local Authority-owned piers, harbours and slipways under the annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, subject to available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.
This scheme is limited to specific works on piers, harbours and slipways owned by Local Authorities. Coastal defences in general fall under the remit of the Office of Public Works.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that Machaire Rabhartaigh Harbour has received funding under this Programme in recent years. €45,000 was allocated under the 2014 Programme for dredging works at the Harbour, and €37,500 was allocated under the Storm Damage Programme in 2016 to complete further dredging at the Harbour.
On 3rd February last, initial applications were invited from all coastal Local Authorities for the 2017 Programme. Our records indicate that my Department did not receive a funding application this year for Machaire Rabhartaigh Harbour. Should an application be submitted by Donegal County Council in relation to this harbour in the future, it will be given due consideration within the terms and conditions of the Programme.
