Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy that the fact that decisions are made in Clonakilty does not delay anything. Much of the marine side of my Department is based in Clonakilty and it is an efficient operation. BIM, which is also involved in many of the fisheries development programmes in Howth and elsewhere, has its headquarters in Dún Laoghaire, although it has a seafood development programme in Clonakilty. There are issues around leasing arrangements in all our fishing harbours. Some people owe money and are not paying up, and we need to pursue them because we are trying to run commercial harbours as well as facilitate business growth and employment creation. There is always an element of friction between landlords and tenants in some of these industrial units and it is the same in some of our other fisheries harbours. There are some individual examples, about which we have spoken, in which we are trying to make progress with the tenant and the business operating there. Sometimes it is difficult and sometimes there are court cases ongoing which prevent me from being able to speak about them. I take the point that if there are vacant properties in places such as Howth, which is potentially a very attractive destination for businesses such as seafood processing, restaurants, food development and tourism development, we should be examining the opportunities when we can. I will follow up on it.

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