Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to raise an issue relating to Howth Harbour. Howth has been a harbour and fishing village since the Middle Ages. Boats are experiencing an issue with the harbour's depth. It has not been dredged since the 1970s. That is almost half a century ago. Boats, especially the larger boats, which have a clearance of 5 m or less have a much narrower window to get in and out of the harbour than they used to have because of the silting up of the harbour. Dredging is due to be carried out. There is a programme to build a public park on one side of the harbour and use the dredging materials to build up the soil levels to do that. Unfortunately, the planning permission has been granted, but we are waiting on a consent to issue from the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. It has been with the agency for some time. This issue came to a head a number of weeks ago when a vessel was stuck in the harbour for a couple of hours at low tide. Dredging is required urgently.

Howth has become a hot spot for tourism. The area is a contributor for both the economy of Dublin and the country overall. Each year tourists and people from across the country travel to Howth to celebrate Howth, Ireland's maritime heritage, our seafood and Howth Maritime and Seafood Festival. In the current global environment, it is essential that we have food security, and our fishermen contribute greatly to that reliable source of food. This is an important project. Dredging will greatly benefit all who use the harbour and assist in the continuance of the tradition of Howth as a fishing village. I ask the Minister of State to impress on his colleague Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, to impress upon the EPA to move this consent process along if possible.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley.

The programme for Government commits to securing a thriving and resilient seafood sector. The appointment of a Minister of State with responsibility across fisheries and the marine to co-ordinate and integrate these key policy areas, in addition to the establishment of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, underpins the dedication of the Government in this regard. Bord lascaigh Mhara, BIM, in its business of seafood report 2024 offers a comprehensive assessment of the economic impact of the seafood sector. The report states that the Irish seafood industry is valued at €1.24 billion, an increase of 4% on 2023. Almost 8,000 people are directly employed across the fishing, aquaculture and processing sectors. This rises to almost 17,000 people when indirect employment is included. Fish landings in Ireland were valued at €461 million in 2024, with €325 million of that figure coming from Irish vessels. The report also shows a value growth of 25% in the aquaculture sector. These figures demonstrate the ability of the sector to adjust to a changing environment when supported with strategic investment, both public and private.

Through the seafood development programme, the Government is delivering essential support to strengthen competitiveness, sustainability and employment across the sector. This programme is cofunded by the Government and the European Commission under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, EMFAF, 2021-2027. Separate to the seafood development programme, the Department also funds supports and services provided by Bord Bia to the agrifood sector, including seafood. Funding supports are also provided to the commercial seafood sector by Enterprise Ireland and by Údarás na Gaeltachta.

In May, agreement was reached between the EU and UK on extending the existing arrangements for reciprocal access to fish in each other’s waters for a 12-year period up to June 2038. This is significantly longer than the four years sought by the UK and, crucially, did not involve any additional transfer of quota from the EU to the UK. Ireland carried a disproportionate burden of the quota transfers to the UK under the trade and co-operation agreement. However, the extension of the reciprocal access period will provide certainty and stability for the seafood sector. This will allow our sector to make sustainable, long-term decisions for their businesses. We will continue to highlight the issue of the disproportionate burden-sharing with both the Commissioner and other member states. We will pursue every opportunity at EU level to increase the available quotas for our fishing fleet.

The European Commission’s evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy regulation is currently ongoing. During the Department's first meeting with the Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, the Minister of State emphasised to him the importance of this evaluation in addressing the impacts of Brexit on our fishing sector. Since the Minister of State was appointed, he has engaged regularly with the seafood sector. He has visited four of the State’s fishery harbour centres: Killybegs, Castletownbere, Ros an Mhíl and Howth. He intends to visit Dingle and Dunmore East in the near future. He has also engaged directly with all recognised stakeholder representative groups across the catching, aquaculture and processing sectors. The programme for Government commits to publishing a five-year fisheries sector strategy.

To progress this, the Minister of State has engaged Mr. Kieran Mulvey as a facilitator to work with seafood representatives in order to identify and articulate issues, priorities and opportunities for the sector. This engagement is ongoing.

Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for the positive outline of the general scenario in regard to the fishing industry, which I of course welcome. I have spoken to the Minister of State directly on the EPA consent regarding Howth and he is aware of it and of the urgency of the issue. I wanted to raise it with the Minister of State on the record, that it is much wider than that. The leisure sector is affected by this as well. I know the Howth Yacht Club, for example, has a very significant investment in a new marina, which has been held up by the fact the dredging has been held up. The big concern I have is that the RNLI operates from Howth Harbour and God forbid that it would need to get out with one of its larger vessels and get struck at a low tide without having a window to get out for a rescue. I would be very concerned about that.

The EPA consent needs to be moved along as swiftly as possible.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I again thank the Deputy for raising this issue, specifically in relation to Howth Harbour. He has rightly highlighted the need for the EPA consent, which I will absolutely follow up with my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley. As Deputy Brabazon has pointed out quite correctly, it impacts on the commercial sector within the harbour of Howth. It also impacts on the leisure sector and people who are involved in leisure boating. Most importantly, it also impacts on the RNLI service there, which is critical to keeping people safe and is often involved in the rescue and recovery of people who get into distress. The Deputy has made the case very strongly and has articulated it well and I will absolutely follow up with the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, to ensure we can move this project along and ensure the EPA consent is issued post-haste.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State and the Deputy, and I could not agree more.