Mr. Tom Moran:

There are 58 properties leased with no lease agreements, 23 of which are commercial, 35 are leased to State and public bodies or public interest charitable organisations. Many of these cases have complex legal aspects and the establishment of a dedicated property unit and additional legal resources put in place by the Department in 2013 have enabled work to begin on the drafting of leases in the majority of the protracted cases. In one of the longstanding cases where there was no lease in place for a property vacant possession was returned to the Department in September following a settlement of the case. In two of the 58 tenders were awarded this year and leases are being finalised. There are six cases where the term of the original lease had expired and renewed leases are being put in place. There are nine properties occupied by marine agencies such as the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, and the Irish Marine Institute where leases have not been finalised but rent has been agreed and is being paid.

We are working towards a complete property register. That, coupled with the billing system, will move that on. We hope to arrive at a situation where every piece of property in a fisheries harbour has a regular and non-contentious lease in operation.