John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Question 399: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will clarify the proposed increases in rates and charges for leisure crafts at harbours around the country; if he will reconsider the imposition of this excessive charge for the most basic of facilities for leisure crafts in harbours. [23638/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Charges for the use of facilities at each of the six Fishery Harbour Centres are currently levied by virtue of the Fishery Harbour Centres (Rates & Charges) Order 2003. My Department has however recently conducted a review of the 2003 Order and a draft new Rates & Charges Order, the first proposed changes to the fee schedule for almost a decade, has been prepared on foot of that review.

Charges for use of the facilities in the Fishery Harbour Centres by yachts and other pleasure craft have been introduced for the first time. This follows the provision of specialised marina facilities at Dingle and now Rossaveal Fishery Harbour Centres in particular, in response to the importance of such developments in the marine leisure and tourism area.

The new draft Order was the subject of a public consultation process that closed on 20 April last, and I am pleased to note that my Department has now received a total of 87 submissions in relation to the revised charges, from a wide range of stakeholders in the Fishery Harbour Centres. Many of those were from the leisure and tourism sectors.

These submissions are being given careful consideration at present, and when the examination is complete I will, if necessary, make any appropriate amendments to the new Rates & Charges Order before it is finalised.