Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
881. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any allocations made from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve fund to capital improvement works at State-owned and local authority-owned piers and harbours nationwide will be separate to already committed or to be committed funding from his Department for improvement works at those same piers and harbours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16288/22]
View answerThe Brexit Adjustment: Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme 2022-2023 is aiming to attract shovel-ready projects of up to €1m budget in areas where the local coastal community is dependent on fishing activities, in particular the small-scale coastal fisheries sector. In addition, the Scheme offers the possibility of funding larger projects where there is particular exposure to Brexit due to proximity to UK waters and the loss of fishing opportunities. The Scheme is being proposed for funding from the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve.
The initiative for identifying projects rests with the local authorities. My Department has received applications for funding from 13 local authorities in the first call for applications to the Scheme and Department officials are currently evaluating these applications. The local authority cannot be in receipt of, nor have an application pending for, funding from any other source for the project. I must again stress that responsibility for the development and maintenance of local authority owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each local authority in the first instance. I am also mindful that the primary governance role for local authorities rests with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and any wider funding issues for local authorities should be addressed to that Minister.
