Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Connolly agus táim buíoch di an deis seo a thapú an t-ábhar seo a shoiléiriú. Ros an Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre is one of six designated fishery harbour centres owned, managed and maintained by my Department under statute. The others are located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth and Killybegs. Approximately 26 vessels are based in Ros an Mhíl with whitefish being the primary catch. The harbour also sees between 20 and 25 fishing boats from the east coast, carrying mainly prawns and whitefish. There are virtually no foreign landings at Ros an Mhíl. Ros an Mhíl is a primary harbour for passenger travel to the Aran Islands and the harbour centre provides facilities in support of passenger and cargo ferries to the Aran Islands which are invaluable to the residents of same and act as a catalyst for development of the island-based tourism industry.

The Fishery Harbour Centres Act of 1968 established the concept of fishery harbours in the State and vested their management in the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine took over responsibility for these harbour centres in October 2007. All six are strategically important infrastructure which underpin the Government's strategy to further develop a modern offshore Irish fishing fleet to attract large offshore fishing vessels of other member states to increasingly land in our harbour centres and also to drive the development of a modern onshore processing industry.

Funding for capital developments is made available on an annual basis by the Department to the harbour centres, including Ros an Mhíl, via the fishery harbour and coastal infrastructure development programme. A phased programme for the infrastructural development of Ros an Mhíl has been progressed over recent years and has seen significant investment. In total, approximately €31.6 million was invested in capital development at Ros an Mhíl between 2000 and 2020. In addition, €1.09 million has been allocated for capital works in the harbour in 2021.

The possibility of a deepwater berthing project at Ros an Mhíl has been mooted for some time. The Department commissioned DKM consultants to conduct a cost-benefit analysis into the development of a deepwater quay at Ros an Mhíl. A draft report was submitted to the Department in June 2017. Since the report was drafted, there have been changes to some of the fundamentals underpinning the original analysis. In 2018, the Department commissioned engineering consultants to undertake a review of the design solutions, scoping options and operational aspects of a possible future project. An interim draft of the quay wall peer review report was received in April 2019.

It identified the need for additional site investigations to be carried out at Ros an Mhíl. They were carried out in August and September 2019 and have been completed. The final quay wall peer review report was received on 27 July 2020. The Department is considering this report, including the site investigation results, to inform a future assessment of possible design solutions and scoping options that will in themselves inform any future decision on progressing the project.

Depending on the scoping option chosen, the project's cost could reach an estimated €29 million. In that light, I have allocated €100,000 in the 2021 development programme to explore the potential and benefits of a deep water quay project. Planning permission has been obtained for the project and is valid until April 2023. Should it be necessary, a further application can be submitted. No decision on progressing the project to work stage has been made to date. As is the case with all developments at harbour centres, any future decision on formally initiating a project will be considered on the basis of the available funds and in light of the reports and assessments.

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