Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 7: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the progress that has been made since May 2008 to develop the pier at Cromane, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16940/10]

Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Kerry County Council proposes to construct a new pier at Cromane. The proposed pier will be the property of that local authority who will be responsible for its development, maintenance and repair. Under the fishery harbour and coastal infrastructure development programme my Department has, in previous years, allocated funding to Kerry County Council to progress works at Cromane. This programme operates on an annual basis and provides funding for approved projects up to an agreed amount or 75% of the total cost in the year, whichever is the lower.

Approval for funding in any particular year does not imply any commitment of funding in future years and any funds not drawn down before the end of that calendar year return to the Exchequer. The summary of the funding my Department approved for the project in recent years is as follows: €150,000 in 2004; €200,000 in 2006; €500,000 in 2007; and €750,000 in 2008, a total of €1.6 million. I understand, however, that Kerry County Council has encountered difficulties in acquiring lands required to progress this project and is working to move matters forward.

No application in respect of the Cromane project was submitted by Kerry County Council for consideration for funding under the 2009 programme. Due to the current budgetary situation, funding cannot be provided for local authority owned facilities under the 2010 programme. Funding under the 2010 programme has been allocated to meet contractual commitments and essential safety and maintenance works. It is hoped that in the future, when the Exchequer situation improves, my Department will be in a position to recommence funding projects for the development and repair of local authority owned facilities under the fishery harbour and coastal infrastructure development programme.

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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To date €1.6 million has been spent and there is not even a defined access route or site for the pier. Do I take it no funding was applied for in 2009 and the Department will not be unable to provide funding this year? It is a logical deduction that the project has stalled. Does the Minister of State anticipate it going any further this year?

Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will probably be aware that there were a number of difficulties with the application to An Bord Pleanála for this pier. In 2009 the board annulled the Kerry County Council compulsory purchase order, CPO, as the route for the road access outlined in that application was different from that which went to public notice in 2005. There are also difficulties with land acquisition. The Deputy should be in constant contact with the local authority on this matter. It is my intention to visit Kerry and I will be interested in what progress, if any, has been made with the €1.6 million committed to the project by my Department. There was no call for funding in 2010 because the Department had to honour contractual commitments and it did not have Exchequer funding to provide more money to the project. The Deputy should liaise closely with the county council regarding this project.

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Do I understand correctly that Kerry County Council did not apply for funding in 2009 or 2010? I am glad the Minister of State will visit Kerry. I would love to bring him to Cromane.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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With Deputy Healy-Rae.

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Nothing can be seen on the ground for the €1.6 million. The site for the pier has changed on a number of occasions. The current site seems to be the most expensive but I am not an engineer. One must take the Ring of Kerry to get direct access to the proposed pier. I look forward to the Minister of State visiting the site and, hopefully, we can move the project forward collectively.

Like my colleagues, I congratulate Deputy Connick on his elevation to the ministerial ranks.

Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his best wishes and I look forward to visiting Kerry.

The council did not apply for funding in 2009 because An Bord Pleanála had an issue with the planning application. The Department did not put a call out for funding in 2010 because we did not have funds to give out and we had commitments with which we had to comply. We have committed €1.6 million to the project to date. While I am not familiar with the project on the ground, I would like to think an amount of work has been carried out to date. I understand the logic and thinking behind the project is to facilitate aquaculture and fisheries in the area. I am committed to ensuring we take advantage of this. Perhaps there will be an opportunity to meet local public representatives such as the Deputy and council officials when I make my visit to ascertain the current position on this matter.