Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020
952. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a deep water quay at Ros A Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre, County Galway; his plans to pursue the development of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20251/20]
View answer953. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the planning permission for a deep water quay at Ros An Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre will expire; if the project will be developed prior to expiration of permission; if an application will be made to extend planning permission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20252/20]
View answer954. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the cost-benefit analysis commissioned by his Department and conducted by a company (details supplied) on a deep water quay at Ros A Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre, County Galway concluded that it was a worthwhile project; the cost of this report; his proposed actions on foot of the findings of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20253/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 952, 953 and 954 together.
My Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres (FHC), located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl under statute.
Funding is made available on an annual basis by my Department to the Fishery Harbour Centres, including Ros an Mhíl, via the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. A phased programme for the infrastructural development of Ros an Mhíl FHC has been progressed over the last number of years, which has seen a significant investment. In total, approx €31m has been invested in capital developments at Ros an Mhíl FHC between 2000 and 2019. In addition, in excess of €1.5m has been allocated for capital works in the harbour in 2020.
The possibility of a deep-water berthing project at Ros an Mhíl FHC has been mooted for some time. The Department commissioned DKM consultants to conduct a Cost Benefit Analysis into the development of a deep water quay at Ros an Mhíl. A draft report was submitted to the Department in June 2017. While positive, the Department had reservations with the report and never formally accepted it. The cost of this report was €28,500.
Since the report was drafted, there have been changes to some of the fundamentals underpinning the original analysis. In 2018, the Department subsequently commissioned engineering consultants to undertake a review of the design solutions, scoping options and operational aspects of a possible future project. An interim draft of the Quay Wall Peer Review Report was received in April 2019. This report identified the need for additional site investigations to be carried out in Ros an Mhíl.
These site investigation works were carried out in August/September 2019 and have now been completed. The final Quay Wall Peer Review report was received on 27th July 2020. The Department will now consider the final report including the site investigation results to inform a future assessment of possible design solutions and scoping options, which will, in themselves, inform any future decisions on progressing this project.
Planning permission had been obtained for this project, this permission has been extended to April 2023.
As is the case with all developments in the six Fishery Harbour Centres generally, any future decision with regard to formally initiating this project in Ros an Mhíl, will only be considered on the basis of available exchequer funding and competing national priorities.
