Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 May 2016
26. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to report on the rent collected and the arrears in all tenancies of State property at Howth Harbour in County Dublin in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9207/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraHowth Fishery Harbour Centre is one of the six designated Fishery Harbour Centres which are owned and managed by my Department under Statute. There are a total of 70 properties/sites in the Howth Fishery Harbour Centre property portfolio, the majority of which are occupied by a variety of public and commercial bodies which support the Fishery Harbour Centre’s role as a working fishery harbour in addition to a broad range of other activities.
In 2015 my Department collected a total of €561,794 in respect of income from these properties including rent and licence fees. When I last responded to the Deputy on this matter on October 1st 2015 the rental arrears stood at €603,395; at 31st December 2015 these arrears stood at €538,451. The majority of these arrears relate to legacy issues which my Department is actively addressing in conjunction with its legal advisers and the individual tenants concerned.
Since taking over responsibility for the management and operation of the Fishery Harbour Centres my Department has established a dedicated Property Unit to manage the property portfolio. In addition, my Department worked closely with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office to increase the legal capacity resource for progressing the often complex and protracted legal aspects relating to outstanding property cases. An additional solicitor was employed by the Chief State Solicitor’s Office at my Department’s request to deal exclusively with Fishery Harbour Centre property portfolio, the cost of which is being met from the Department’s Fishery Harbour Centre Fund.
In addition, a dedicated Debt Recovery Unit was established in October 2009 to address the debt that had developed in the harbours predating my Department. In 2013, my Department's Management Advisory Committee set up a Debtor Review Group comprising representatives from Accounts, Finance and Legal Services Divisions to assist and give direction to debtor divisions in the area of debt management. A Central Debt Management Group has also been formed to monitor compliance and debt levels.
