Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 168: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider introducing a pay as you use system for waste and water at fishery harbour centres as well as making a distinction between imported waste, which must be deep buried and locally generated waste, which is cheaper to dispose of; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24540/12]

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. Each Fishery Harbour Centre is regarded as the Local Competent Authority and is required to have a fee structure so that all ships calling to port are required to contribute significantly to the provision of port waste facilities in the port, whether any particular ship avails of facilities or not. The Rates & Charges order operative since 2003 has a structure in place for fresh water to be charged at €2.50 per m3. However, my Department has 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.