Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter for discussion. It is important to the people of Cromane, County Kerry, on whose behalf I am speaking, that this matter is being discussed in Dáil Éireann. I thank also the Minister for being present to hear the case I am about to make and to discuss the matter.

Cromane is a small coastal community in mid-Kerry, overlooking Castlemaine Harbour on the Iveragh Peninsula. Other than for its natural beauty and vibrant mussel fishing industry, it is probably most famous in recent years for the likes of Donnchadh Walsh and Seán O'Sullivan and the great footballing tradition in the area. It is a beautiful part of the world, with great potential both from a tourism point of view and in regard to growing the mussel fishing industry to support local jobs and provide a future for the young people of the area. The people involved in the industry work hard and have been fishing for mussels for generations, although they have been doing it with virtually zero coastal infrastructure to help them do their work. I invite the Minister, if he is Kerry at some point, to come and see how the mussel fishermen operate and how they have to contend without support infrastructure.

The need for a pier or some form of landing facility has been a long-running saga over many decades. I recall it being talked about when I was in secondary school in the 1990s and it still has not happened. There are various reasons for that, but here we are in 2021 and it is still needed. I dearly want it to happen. We have examined various funding mechanisms and options, but one of the first steps that needs to be taken is to establish what the best solution for the location would be. To do that, feasibility and design funding is required, and that has been difficult to come by. Thereafter, of course, construction funding is required as well.

Prior to Covid, I was trying to bring together a stakeholder forum, with all the players in the locality, the State agencies and the local authorities around the one table to try to work out a roadmap. Will the Minister provide a representative from his Department, in an advisory and consultative capacity, to help with the work of such a forum? Separately, will he examine the local authority element of the fishery harbour and coastal infrastructure development programme? It is quite restrictive in that it is capped at €200,000. While it has been very beneficial - do not get me wrong - to many places in Kerry and throughout the country by providing funding, for places such as Cromane where there is existing economic activity within the industry but zero infrastructure, I would like exceptions to be made in order that there could be feasibility and design funding to build that necessary infrastructure. Just because it was never there in the first instance should not mean that places such as Cromane would be left. It is important that we reconsider the upper limit of €200,000, which is not what it used to be, not least with the level of inflation in construction costs.

The 75% contribution element could be looked at. I am interested in hearing the Minister's thoughts.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. It is something on which he has done significant work in the past. The Minister for Education raised the issue with me as well. I know the Deputy has been engaged with this issue and has tried to progress it so it is good to be able to update him today. I will take him up on his offer of a visit. I hope to be in Kerry in September and will certainly visit it with the Deputy then.

To clarify matters for the Deputy, my Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned fishery harbour centres located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros an Mhíl under statute. In addition, the Department also has responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of the North Harbour at Cape Clear as well as the maintenance of a small number of specific piers, lights and beacons throughout Ireland, in accordance with the Marine Works (Ireland) Act 1902.

As the Deputy is aware, responsibility for the development and maintenance of local authority-owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each local authority in the first instance and the parent Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, thereafter. In that regard, I have no legislative remit for developments at Cromane. Responsibility for the development of the pier at Cromane rests with the county council, as the Deputy outlined. The mussel seed fishing in Castlemaine Harbour is regulated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. In the case of Cromane, I am aware that the possibility of a project to develop a pier has been the subject of local interest for some years. However, any proposals for a potential future pier development project are solely a matter for Kerry County Council. That said, as part of my Department's annual fishery harbour and coastal infrastructure development programme, it provides funding to assist the 15 coastal local authorities in carrying out small-scale projects for the development and repair of piers, harbours and slipways in their ownership.

The local authority element of our capital programme co-funds up to 75% of the total cost of approved projects subject to a maximum overall project cost of €200,000 with the local authority providing the balance. Up to 2019, the cap was €150,000. I take the Deputy's point about the cap. The challenge for projects above that threshold is something on which I will reflect. Between 2010 and 2020, over €1.9 million in funding has been granted under this programme to Kerry County Council with approximately 25 harbours in the county benefiting over that period. Under this year's programme, funding of €4.2 million was made available nationally, meaning that 79 projects across the country could be supported. We have seen an allocation to Kerry of €213,000 in funding under this year's programme to undertake projects, two of which relate to harbour development while one relates to marine leisure and tourism.

Piers in Kerry benefiting under this year's programme include Dún Chaoin Pier, Knightstown Marina and Dúinín Pier in An Fheothanach. No application for funding was received under this year's programme with regard to Cromane Pier. Should any application be made for funding by Kerry County Council under any future programme in relation to capital works at Cromane Harbour, it will be given due consideration in line with available Exchequer funding.

I take the Deputy's request regarding support for a working group and the allocation of an official from my Department to facilitate and work with that. I will certainly do that to enable the Deputy to progress that work and work with the county council to see how the potential can be developed.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his very positive answer. I very much welcome the fact that he will come to Cromane to see exactly what we are dealing with and what the people working in the industry must contend with. That is very proactive of him. It is a long journey from Donegal down to Kerry but I assure the Minister it is a very beautiful part of the world and he will enjoy the journey and will be well looked after by the people of Cromane. They might even bring him into Jack's Coastguard as well, which is always worth a visit.

Putting forward a representative from the Department is very helpful because it may not require a super-duper pier that would cost millions. There may be a very cost-effective and practical solution we could identify but having that expertise around the table is crucial. That is something that is very welcome. I appreciate the Minister's commitment in that regard. This is something that could accelerate that process and bring about a much speedier conclusion to this long-running saga.

A FLAG-funded socioeconomic plan for the area from 2018 to 2022 was launched. This was one of the central pillars of that plan. There is potential to support the local fishing industry, local marine tourism and leisure craft operators. Such a facility would be invaluable. Castlemaine Harbour is a very scenic area. I am looking straight across at Cromane and can see the boats from my house every day. It has significant potential and will be very close to the new greenway in south Kerry. It is on the Wild Atlantic Way and the Ring of Kerry effectively so there is significant potential in the area. For years and years, mussel fishermen have been crying out for assistance through this infrastructure. The Minister's assistance will be very important in finally getting this over the line.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I look forward to coming down to Kerry in September with the Deputy and the Minister for Education and in the meantime working with the Deputy regarding how we can move things forward and work together on this. There has been significant investment across the county over the past ten years. I know the Deputy very much values the impact of that assessment and how it makes a significant difference. In particular, funding from the Department working with the local authorities makes a massive difference throughout a county, particularly a county like Kerry, which is very similar to my own county with lots of smaller piers and harbours. They need maintenance and upkeep but they make a massive difference. They are very significant for inshore fishermen, the marine resource and marine leisure. It is important that we invest in them. Twenty-five projects across Kerry to the tune of €1.9 million have been supported over the past ten years. Cromane did not receive funding during that period. I know the approach under consideration here is more significant than many of the others that were funded. Let us continue to work together in terms of the potential and assess that. I will certainly ensure that an official is made available to work with the Deputy and the local authority in terms of advice.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Griffin will have the kettle on when the Minister gives him notice.