Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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645. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an application has been made by Cork County Council to repair the Gabion walls adjacent to coastal footpath at Fountainstown Beach, Fountainstown, County Cork; the status of the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18556/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Beach at Fountainstown is owned by Cork County Council and responsibility for the repair and maintenance of the Gabion walls rest with the Local Authority in the first instance. On 20 March this year I announced funding of €486,450 for Cork County Council under a once off 2014 Storm Damage Programme for the repair of 12 piers and harbours in County Cork damaged during the winter storms earlier this year. No application to repair the Gabion walls adjacent to coastal footpath at Fountainstown Beach was received under this programme.

Under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme my Department has, in previous years, provided funding for the development and repair of Local Authority owned harbours, piers and slipways subject to the availability of exchequer funding. Funding for this programme is allocated on an annual basis and I have made €3m available nationally for this purpose in 2014.

My Department will shortly be requesting all Coastal Local Authorities to submit applications, in order of priority, for funding under the 2014 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme.

Any application submitted by Cork County Council for funding under the 2014 Capital Programme will be given consideration in the context of the available exchequer funding and overall national priorities.