Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for tabling this motion on the Adjournment. The harbour at Dunmore East is one of the six designated fishery harbour centres owned, managed and maintained by the Department. Funding is made available on an annual basis by the Department to the fishery harbour centres, including Dunmore East, via the fishery harbour and coastal infrastructure capital development programme.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, is happy to advise that the Department has, over the years, continued to support the development of the Dunmore East fishery harbour centre and has provided significant funding for maintenance, development and upgrading works each year. Indeed, capital expenditure under the programme for Dunmore East since 2007 has been in the order of ¤4 million. This is in recognition of the valuable contribution the harbour makes, not only to the fishing industry, but also to the local community in terms of the support the harbour infrastructure provides to the development of the tourism industry and the local economy generally.

The Dunmore East fishery harbour centre provides a dedicated and essential service to our fishing fleet. Both local and visiting fishing vessels, including vessels of significant dimensions, are currently availing of its harbour facilities. The Minister is happy to report that the investment in the Dunmore East fishery harbour centre in recent years is bearing fruit. The data provided to him by the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority indicate a year-on-year increase in fish landings in recent years.

The Minister is cognisant of the need to be fully aware of the ongoing needs of the harbour users at Dunmore East fishery harbour centre. With this in mind officials from the Department regularly host a harbour users forum and meet with local stakeholders and harbour users. This forum provides a platform for harbour users to air their views and gives the officials an opportunity to hear at first hand the concerns and suggestions of the people using the harbour facilities. The Minister is glad to be able to advise the Senator that as recently as last July, the Dunmore East tourism group, which plays an active part in the harbour users group, formally complimented the appearance of the harbour and the good work being done there by the Department.

The need for dredging works at the harbour is recognised by the Department. Reports commissioned indicate that 80% of the harbour sediment contains tributyltin, TBT. Unfortunately, the cost associated with the disposal of dredge spoil containing TBT is significantly higher than for uncontaminated material. The most recent estimate for dredging of the harbour and disposal of the dredge spoil material in an appropriate manner is approximately ¤5 million. This represents a significant expenditure in the current economic environment. The Minister confirms that the engineering division of the Department has engaged consultants to examine and report on a number of alternative options in terms of the structuring of the works and the outlay involved. He expects to have the report in the coming months and will assess at that stage how best to proceed in relation to the dredging issue.

In the meantime, the Department will continue to provide investment in the Dunmore East fishery harbour centre facilities. The level of investment will of necessity be tempered by the availability of Exchequer funding. The Minister is happy to confirm that the programme of projects for inclusion in the Department's Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2013 is at an advanced stage.