Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 October 2021
358. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is intended to update the Fishery Harbours Acts to include the development of facilities to support the on-shore and off-shore renewable energy sector as one of the strategic aims when considering investment in these harbours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51964/21]
View answerThe Fishery Harbour Centres Act dates back to 1968 but has been amended on a number of occasions since its introduction.
Section 5 of the Act provides the scope of use for which the Fishery Harbour Centres can be put to. Originally the scope was quite narrowly defined and linked almost exclusively to the fishing industry. In 1998 the Fisheries and Foreshore (Amendment) Act expanded that scope to include the following provision:
"any other purpose, including the provision, improvement and development of leisure or amenity facilities or for facilitating or promoting the social or economic development of the area in which the fishery harbour centre is located, which the Minister considers advantageous and appropriate in respect of the operation or development of the Fishery Harbour Centre".
Accordingly, the nature of any proposed developments at the Fishery Harbour Centres must be balanced in the full context of section 5 and typically appropriate studies are commissioned to assist in these considerations. Any decisions on strategic investment at the Fishery Harbour Centres are made having regard to prevailing Government policy, competing national priorities and available Exchequer funding.
