Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the role his Department plays in ensuring the viability of island communities in particular in relation to the development of farming and fishing and the provision of piers on islands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48271/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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All Department schemes are open to farmers including in the islands. In terms of access to fishing opportunities, fish stocks are managed at a national level and there are no specific allocations for island communities. There is opportunity for increasing Irish fish catches, including for operators based in island communities, by growing the stocks on which we are dependant and which are proximate to Ireland. There is much in the Common Fisheries Programme Reform, such as long term management of stocks, reducing and eliminating discards and rebuilding stocks to Maximum Sustainable Yield, which holds the potential to increase catches by Irish fishermen in the short and medium term.

The only island harbour that my Department is responsible for is Cape Clear’s North Harbour. The other island harbours are owned by the relevant Local Authorities who are responsible for their repair and maintenance.

Under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme my Department provides funding for minor development and repair work of Local Authority owned harbours, piers and slipways subject to the availability of adequate exchequer resources and other national priorities.