Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
2161. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will summarise the latest correspondence between his Department and Kerry County Council and any other State agency or Department in relation to the provision of a landing facility at Cromane, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41734/22]
View answerThe 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.
With specific regard to landing facilities at Cromane, officials from my Department have previously expressed their willingness to meet and discuss this issue with representatives of the local authority.
The Deputy will recall that he and I both met with the Council and local seafood industry representatives on the matter last September and I reiterated that offer.
On 25th January 2022, I launched the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Local Authority Marine Infrastructure (BALAMI) Scheme 2022-2023 exclusively for the rejuvenation of local authority owned public piers and harbours.
The Scheme flows from the Seafood Taskforce which I set up last year to examine how to address the impacts arising on the seafood sector from the EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Over €1.5m in funding has been approved to Kerry County Council under the BALAMI Scheme to fund projects at 5 locations. No application for funding was received under this year’s programme in relation to Cromane Pier.
Should any application be made for funding by Kerry County Council under the BALAMI Scheme or any future programme in relation to capital works at Cromane Harbour, it will be given due consideration, taking into account the terms and conditions of the scheme, the priority attached to the project by the Council, available BAR or Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.
