Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising in the Dáil the need to address the damage done to Pollawaddy pier. I am glad to be able to provide a broad overview of the work I and my Department are doing to support Donegal County Council and other local authorities in terms of improving our small piers and harbours.

In regard to Pollawaddy slipway, I have spoken to the county manager, John McLaughlin, on the matter. The county council be will be assessing the case. I have no doubt the county council engineer, Cathal Sweeney, who does tremendous work throughout the county in terms of maintenance and development of our small piers and harbours and is an Arranmore islander, is very much on top of this case in terms of assessing the impact of the damage. The Department has not yet been formally notified of the impact of the damage. In the first instance, as it is a local authority managed pier, it is a matter for the local authority to assess and to identify the repair challenges and how they can be addressed. In terms of my role in this area and that of the Minister for Rural and Community Development, if we get any feedback from the county council on the challenges, we will engage. It is important this key pier and harbour is repaired. It is crucial for the islanders in terms of the fishing sector there and for the inshore fishers in the work they carry out and who need to be able to get on with their livelihoods in a safe manner.

No more than Deputy Pringle, the inshore sector is one I value and support, which we have to do. It can be a difficult lifestyle and livelihood but it is a really important part of our heritage and economy, in particular a really important part of our island economy. Pier and infrastructure funding is crucial in that regard. Last year, I announced record funding for small piers and harbours throughout the country. As mentioned by Deputy Pringle, Donegal received the highest allocation of any county in respect of its piers and harbours. A few weeks ago, for the first time ever, I announced a support scheme that delivers €4,000 for inshore fishers with boats longer than 8 m and €2,800 for smaller vessels, again as a means of supporting inshore fisher incomes. Crucial to their income is having the capacity, the facilities and the infrastructure.

The Government is putting huge emphasis on the development of our piers and harbours, in particular their availing of the opportunity under the Brexit adjustment reserve. I have been engaging with my Cabinet colleagues on an ongoing basis on how we leverage the available funding to maximise the benefit in every way we can for small piers and harbours and that infrastructure. There has been a real challenge in terms of the quota impact arising from Brexit. We fought to represent our national sector in every way possible. Coming out of that, we want to build, support and fund the sector. We want to ensure the infrastructure is there and to develop the piers and harbours.

In the case of Pollawaddy, it was impacted by Storm Franklin. It was a very challenging night across Donegal in terms of infrastructure. It was a particularly challenging night, as the Deputy will know, for mica homeowners as well. It was very distressing for everyone. A reflection of the impact of the storm was the damage done at Pollawaddy. As I said, the local authority is assessing the damage and, as Minister, I will engage with it in any way I can to be supportive of ensuring the repairs are completed.

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