Michael Smith
Ceist:2 Mr. M. Smith asked the Minister for the Marine the plans, if any, he has for the provision of marinas and moorings on our coastline for 1996. [2229/96]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Marine Leisure.
As the House will be aware, I consider that the entire marine leisure area has huge potential for economic growth. I am working with the Marine Institute to develop a plan to exploit the unique coastal resource on a basis which will be both sustainable over the long term and will create new employment. New policy in relation to the sector should focus, in particular, on leisure sailing given its proven capacity to attract sailing tourists and generally add to economic growth in some of the more deprived areas of the country. The House will also be aware of the very considerable interest in the area of water based activities shown by the attendance at the recent seminar in Sligo organised by the Marine Institute. The contributions to this seminar have uncovered a unique vibrancy, borne out of a recognition by local communities, individuals and business of the opportunities in the sector. My policy will be to draw the strands together, point out the opportunities and actively progress development.
The provision of moorings and marinas will be a major element of the necessary infrastructure for the development of sailing tourism and I will actively support policy in this regard while at the same time ensure that the necessary safeguards are retained. While my Department is not in the business of investing in these commercial projects, it seeks to facilitate them by, for example, granting the necessary consents under the foreshore Acts. My Department's planning of harbour developments to support the fisheries sector also takes account of the needs of other users and is designed to facilitate them. For example, in the course of the major reconstruction of Kilmore Quay for Wexford County Council, works have been designed and carried out with a view to including a marina development. The details of the lease agreement are being negotiated with the council at present. My Department is also constructively considering a number of foreshore applications in respect of marinas and has in recent years granted leases for marinas in Carlingford in Louth, Malahide in Dublin and Kinsale, Crosshaven and Baltimore in Cork. I have a more direct role to play in areas for which I am the harbour authority, for example, Dún Laoghaire. I will deal in greater detail with the marina development proposals for Dún Laoghaire in reply to a later question.
A sum of £1.6 million is provided in the operational programme for tourism for all aspects of marine leisure, including marinas and moorings. Projects in this area are processed by the Department of Tourism and Trade with the assistance of my Department. The provision of resources for this vital infrastructure will, of course, be reviewed in the light of the outcome of the current policy review. I assure the House that I will give my full support to any worth-while plan which emerges.
Nobody doubts the tremendous potential for development in the marine leisure area and the necessity to marry this with other developments along the coast. Does the Minister agree that we have a paucity of resources in terms of the provision of the necessary infrastructure and that a dynamic effort will be required to ensure we have facilities which will attract visitors and maximise the potential in that area? Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the position at present.
I agree that there is tremendous potential in this area and shortly after I was appointed Minister I asked the secretary of my Department to make provision in the Estimates for marine leisure and tourism under a separate subhead. The Department of the Marine will play a positive role in this area but we will reach the point when we have to pass on responsibility to, for example, the Department of Tourism and Trade which provided grant aid. I visited several small harbours which have tremendous potential for the development of marine leisure and tourism facilities and I intend to exploit any opportunities. That is why one of the seminars organised by the Marine Institute focused on marine leisure and tourism and highlighted the potential which exists. This seminar was held close to Christmas and I was very heartened that more than 350 people attended. They engaged in worthwhile exchanges of views and put forward many positive ideas to be incorporated in the overall policy document which will be produced when the series of seminars is concluded.
I am in favour of ensuring the greatest possible co-operation between Departments but I am not in favour of handing over responsibility for the provision of this infrastructure to the Department of Tourism and Trade at a certain stage. If such developments are not driven by the Department of the Marine, which has responsibilities in this area, they will not be successful. Will the Minister reconsider this aspect and ensure his Department will be the driving force behind the provision of this infrastructure?
My Department is very active in this area but many small harbours are the responsibilities of local authorities, some areas are the responsibility of the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht and others are clearly linked to tourism which is the responsibility of the Department of Tourism and Trade, regional tourism boards etc. My Department has given, and will continue to give, technical assistance and advice to communities and local authorities. I appeal to Deputies who are members of local authorities to ensure discussions take place at local level on the potential in their areas for the development of marine tourism and leisure. My Department will not be found wanting in terms of offering advice and providing technical assistance and back-up services for such developments. There is no point in two Departments doing the same job. We can bring a project to a certain point and it is then the responsibility of the Department of Tourism and Trade to promote and grant aid it through the operational programmes. This is not to say we are washing our hands of such developments. Rather, we highlight their potential through holding seminars and providing technical back-up and assistance to the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht. If the Deputy has any positive suggestions in this area I will consider them.
The latter part of the Minister's answer proves my point. I am not being political when I say this national resource is totally underdeveloped because many developments have fallen not between two stools but between four or five stools. This is likely to continue until such time as one Department takes the lead and refuses to take any nonsense from the authorities who have responsibility in this area and who are failing to make the necessary provision to ensure that the potential is developed.
In an effort to overcome some of the difficulties which existed in the past the Minister of State, Deputy Carey, who has responsibility for the islands and the west, has been given the task of co-ordinating the efforts of various Departments to ensure that particular projects proceed. This is a positive step forward and the Minister of State has my total support in his efforts. My Department will co-operate with him in those areas to ensure that those developments proceed.
I want to give one example of a potential development. In the not too distant past I visited Rossaveal where the Department of the Marine has invested a considerable amount of money in a fishery harbour centre and from where two ferries operate to the Aran Islands. I was told that 250,000 people used these ferries during the summer. There is obvious potential in Rossaveal for the development of a small terminal which would provide comfort for people waiting for ferries and where Irish goods, food and beverages can be sold. The Minister of State, Deputy Carey, can play an active role in ensuring that such a development takes place and that the fishery harbour does not interfer in any way with the ferry service to the Aran Islands. The Deputy is correct. People saw this potential but nothing was done about it until now. That Minister's job will be to see that structures are in place to ensure the potential that exists will continue and be improved. We will involve ourselves in any other suggestions or proposals and we are actively seeking them.