Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 423: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline in tabular form the existing and newly proposed harbour fees in each of the State controlled harbour centres; the implications these changes will have; if he will consider freezing or reducing the charges instead, in view of the prevailing economic environment which is proving challenging to fishermen and coastal communities. [24150/12]

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.

The new draft Order was the subject of a public consultation process that closed on 20th April last, and I am pleased to note that my Department has received a total of 87 submissions in relation to the revised charges, from a wide range of stakeholders in the Fishery Harbour Centres. 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 draft new Rates & Charges Order before it is finalised.