Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2021
982. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the items for which the €100,000 for the deep water quay project have been allocated in relation to the recently announced 2021 funding allocations for the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24231/21]
View answerThe Fishery Harbour Centres Act 1968 established the concept of fishery harbours in the State and invested their management in the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine took over responsibility for the Fishery Harbour Centres (FHCs) in October 2007. Ros an Mhíl is one of six Fishery Harbour Centres, the others are located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth and Killybegs.
Funding is made available on an annual basis by the Department to the FHCs, 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 €31.6m has been invested in capital developments at Ros an Mhíl FHC between 2000 and 2020.
In addition, €1.09m has been allocated for capital works in the harbour in 2021.
The possibility of a deep-water berthing project at Ros an Mhíl FHC has been mooted for some time and no decision has been made to invest in its development. Any decision to decide to proceed to a detailed design phase of this project would be predicated on an overall decision to proceed with the project as a whole.
I have allocated €100,000 in the 2021 Development Programme to further explore the potential and benefits of a Deep Water Quay project.
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 FHC, will only be considered on the basis of available exchequer funding and competing national priorities.
