David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 28: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources further to a meeting in Ballycotton with a delegation, the plans he has to support the development of the harbour in Ballycotton, County Cork; the timescale involved for the beginning and completion of this project; the resources of funding which will be made available for the development; the overall budget available for his Department for fishery harbour development in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14478/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The harbour at Ballycotton is owned by Cork County Council and responsibility for its maintenance and development is a matter for the local authority in the first instance. In 2001, the council submitted a report prepared by consulting engineers on the estimated cost of the Ballycotton harbour development plan. The proposed development was estimated to cost a total of €6 million.

Cork County Council applied for funding in 2002 under the marine tourism grant scheme of the national development plan for a development including a marina at Ballycotton, County Cork. However, as the applicants had not obtained the necessary statutory permissions, their application could not be considered further. The applicants were informed of this and that they could apply for funding under a future call.

No funding was available for the grant scheme in 2003 or 2004. The findings of the mid-term review of the regional operational programmes recommended reallocation of funds to other priorities. The Ballycotton harbour development association recently submitted a summary of an updated proposed development for Ballycotton harbour to the Department. The proposed development consists of ten phases over a year and a half and is estimated to cost a total of €3.07 million. The allocation for the fishery harbours development programme is €20.55 million for 2005 and a programme for the funding of small harbours within the overall programme is under consideration at present. The fishery harbour programme involves co-funding by the local authorities and the updated proposal for development at Ballycotton would have to be submitted by the local authority. In this case Cork County Council would be required to submit its updated proposal to the Department and be prepared to contribute 25% funding to the project.