Vol. 496 No. 1
94 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will make a statement on the development programme for Killybegs Harbour in County Donegal, further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 28 January 1998 in which he stated that he was seeking additional funding required. [21850/98]
I am very conscious of the urgent need for major infrastructural upgrading and development at Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre.
Earlier this year I announced a capital programme of up to £1.5 million for repair and refurbishment of existing harbour infrastructure, as well as expenditure of £200,000 on site and hydrographic investigations for a new berthage option outside the existing harbour. Technical investigations of this nature are an essential first step in a marine engineering project. The results will directly inform the process of finalising decisions on the funding, scale and timeframe of new harbour development.
I am also addressing as a priority the question on the funding required to provide for the harbour's development needs. I am confident that it will be possible to initiate and finalise this development within the next few years.
