Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 May 2022
196. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of central Exchequer funding that he proposes to invest in piers and harbours across the State over the next number of years in addition to that invested from the BAR fund. [26032/22]
View answerThe Deputy is aware that I recently announced the approval of €31.7m in funding for 110 projects under the Brexit Adjustment: Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme 2022-2023. This is the largest ever funding announcement of its kind for local authority owned marine infrastructure. To put this in context, last year I was able to make €4.2m available for local authority projects under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme.
I would very much like to see progress on the "shovel ready" projects to provide an immediate construction stimulus to the coastal communities impacted by the Trade and Co-Operation Agreement, as the Seafood Task Force had envisaged. and 2023. This Scheme is an unprecedented opportunity and I encourage the local authorities to take full advantage of this source of funding during 2022 and 2023.
My Department will issue a further call later this year for additional projects so that the remaining funding under this €35m scheme can be allocated. In the meantime project delivery must be everyone's focus.
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.
In February I also announced the allocation of €35m for this year from the National Exchequer for capital projects in Ireland’s six state-owned Fishery Harbour Centres and a small number of other locations under my Department's remit. Also in February, I announced that the Government had approved €25 million investment into the Deep Water Quay Project at Ros an Mhíl.
I am not in a position to determine the composition of future investment programmes as this will be dependent on overall available Exchequer funding but I will continue to support investment in piers and harbours utilised by the seafood sector with the resources at my disposal.
