Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I am responding to this debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Simon Coveney. I am pleased to have the opportunity to deal with, and provide some clarity on, the concerns raised by Deputies Martin Ferris, Griffin and Healy-Rae. The Deputies referred to the draft new rates and charges order for the six fishery harbour centres. The recently published draft new rates and charges order sets out the first proposed changes in almost a decade to the fee schedule for the use of the facilities at each of the six fishery harbour centres, located at Dingle, Castletownbere, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Rossaveel. The draft was published following an extensive review of the existing rates and charges order for the fishery harbour centres that came into effect in 2003. The 21 day period for public consultation closed on Friday, 20 April. Some 85 submissions were made, of which six were from fishermen's representative groups, two from individual fishermen, 18 from the tourism and marine leisure sector, 12 from passenger vessel operators, one from a local authority, 15 from marine business interests in the fishery harbour centres, six from harbour users groups and islanders, and 25 from private individuals. This is a significant response from a wide range of stakeholders in our fishery harbour centres and the Minister is gratified to see the level of interest and commitment they represent.

The responses will be examined closely by the Department and all submissions will be given full consideration before the new order is finalised. It is important to stress the public consultation process provides a valuable opportunity for the Minister and the Department to hear and consider the concerns of our customers. No decision on the final text of the new rates and charges order will be taken until all submissions made by the stakeholders have been fully considered and evaluated.

It may be useful at this stage to explain the background to the funding mechanism involved in the day-to-day management of the six fishery harbour centres. The Fishery Harbour Centres Act 1968 sets out the mechanism to be employed in funding the day-to-day operational costs of the six fishery harbour centres. All income received at each of the six fishery harbour centres is effectively lodged to what is known as the fishery harbour centres fund. All the day-to-day running costs of each fishery harbour centre are in turn financed from the fishery harbour centres fund. It is the only source of income available to fund the day-to-day operational and management expenditure at the fishery harbour centres. Examples of regular expenditure include harbour master and staff salaries, electricity, lighting, water and fuel costs, cleaning and maintenance, etc. It is important to reiterate that all income lodged to the fishery harbour centres fund is invested directly in fishery harbour centres to the benefit of harbour users.

The rates and charges order is the legal instrument that enables charges to be levied that provide the income necessary for the provision of the various services at the fishery harbour centres. There have been no increases in rates and charges since the current charges were set almost ten years ago in 2003. I am fully aware of the need not to increase costs unduly for the industry at this time. At the same time it is important the proposed new rates and charges are set at a level sufficient to provide adequately for the costs involved while balancing the need to finance the management of the harbours with the needs of the various harbour customers.

I will highlight some of the features of the proposed new charges which were prepared in response to requests from industry. General fish landing tonnage charges set for all whitefish and fishmeal have not been increased in the draft order. A new single entry charge has been introduced as an alternative to the annual multiple entry charge structure in place since 2003. To facilitate operators, an alternative €400 single entry charge has been provided in the draft order. This new charge is to be available as an alternative, at the discretion of the operator, to the other annual multiple entry charge for fish landings outlined in the draft order. It is not an additional charge, as has been suggested by some, but is an alternative to facilitate operators who may find this more satisfactory for their operations. Charges for syncrolift use have been the subject of complaints from users for some time and in recognition of that, the charge for prolonged use has been halved, from €400 per day to €200 per day. Also to ensure the charge is fair, the Minister has introduced an exception to facilitate an inspection by a government body, for example, where a vessel is awaiting inspection by the Marine Survey Office.

The consultation process seeks to provide a platform to ensure as fair and equitable a levying of charges as is possible. The Department will, as I have said, consider all submissions made by the public and they are willing to meet with interested parties to discuss the draft rates and charges order, to provide any necessary clarification and to listen to and consider alternative suggestions to the individual charges included in the draft order. It is only then, when the Minister has reflected on all the matters raised in the consultation process that he will finalise a new rates and charges order for the harbours.

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