Charges for the use of facilities at each of the six Fishery Harbour Centres are currently levied by virtue of the Fishery Harbour Centres (Rates and Charges) Order 2003. Under the current Rates and Charges Order a monthly charge is paid by all fishing vessels where no water metering system is available, and €2.50 per m3 is charged for metered water.
My Department is evaluating the installation of a water metering system into every Fishery Harbour Centre; however this will be subject to current funding constraints. My Department has recently conducted a review of the 2003 Rate and Charges Order and a draft new Order, the first proposed change to the fee schedule for almost a decade, has been prepared on foot of that review. The new draft Order was the subject of a public consultation process that closed on 20th April last, and I am pleased to note that my Department has received a total of 87 submissions in relation to the revised charges, from a wide range of stakeholders in the Fishery Harbour Centres. These submissions, some of which address the water charges issue, are being given careful consideration at present, and when the examination is complete I will, if necessary, make any appropriate amendments.