Harbours and Piers

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 June 2021

Wednesday, 2 June 2021

Questions (213)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

213. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount his Department spent on maintenance and development in the six fishery harbour centres (details supplied) maintaining the range of piers, lights and beacons around the coast in accordance with the 1902 ex-congested Districts Board Piers, Lights and Beacons Act; and the amounts disbursed to the local authorities for small-scale development and repair of local authority owned piers, harbours and slipways under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programmes in the past two years for which figures are available. [29998/21]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

As the Deputy notes, funding is made available on an annual basis by the Department to the Fishery Harbour Centres through the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. 

In addition, the Department provides funding for repairs to a small number of piers, lights and beacons around the coast in accordance with the 1902 ex-congested Districts Board Piers, Lights and Beacons Act.

The responsibility for the development and maintenance of Local Authority owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each Local Authority in the first instance and their parent Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage thereafter.  However, the Department has, as part of its annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, provided limited funding to assist coastal Local Authorities in carrying out small scale projects for the development and repair of piers, harbours and slipways in their ownership.

The attached table provides the details requested by the Deputy. In addition, I recently announced a capital investment package of €38.3 million for the 2021 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme.  Details of this funding are also provided in the attached table.

Funding