Youghal has been identified as the principal coastal protection priority in the east Cork region by Cork County Council. Under the coastal protection programme for 1999, I provided funding of £40,000 towards an engineering study of the protection needs at Youghal. My Department has been advised by the county council that this assessment is completed and that it will be forwarded to my Department within a matter of weeks. My Department has underlined to the county council the need for submission of proposals without further delay given that the Coastal Protection Programme 2001 is being finalised.
The funding requirements for coastal protection in County Cork generally, including Youghal, will be considered fully in finalising the coastal protection programme for 2001, but I stress that my Department is dependent on the timely input by Cork County Council and other coastal local authorities of coastal protection priorities.
As regards marine infrastructure development, Ballycotton and Youghal harbours are both owned by Cork County Council. The county council is responsible for maintenance and development and, to date, no development proposals have been received from Cork County Council in respect of Youghal. Comprehensive development proposals for the harbour at Ballycotton were put to my Department last year by the Ballycotton Development Association. Cork County Council supports the association's proposals and has sought financial assistance to allow the proposed works to be undertaken on a phased basis.
The funding context for all such proposals is as follows. My Department is developing an investment support scheme for the marine tourism and leisure sector. One of the main objectives of the marine tourism grant scheme is to improve marine tourism access infrastructure. A sum of £20 million has been allocated to the sector under the national development plan of which £6 million is allocated to the south and east regions. The scheme will be launched early in the new year.
I visited Youghal some months ago, as the Deputy is aware, and examined the proposals presented to me by the local association. These will be considered in the context of the overall expenditure programme.