Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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37. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update regarding implementing the recommendations for fishery harbours in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report titled Financial Management and Reporting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43006/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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On the 8^th July, the Comptroller and Auditor General published a Special Report on the Financial Management and Reporting for the six Fishery Harbour Centres owned, managed and operated by my Department.

My Department welcomed the C&AG's report which contains a number of valuable recommendations some of which relate to historical issues that have been proactively addressed by my Department. The Department accepts the recommendations of the report and work is underway to implement them.

The report notes that improvements have taken place with regard to the Financial Management arrangements at the Fishery Harbour Centres and focuses on ways to further enhance these arrangements. Since 2007, when my Department took responsibility for the Fishery Harbour Centres, a number of reports have been produced by management in the relevant Division of the Department and the Department's Internal Audit Unit, which precipitated a very significant programme of change that has been implemented in the Fishery Harbour Centres in the intervening years.

The report was the subject of a Public Accounts Committee hearing on 16th October 2014. My Department will continue to implement the recommendations of the report. I regard the implementation of the recommendations as a matter of high priority.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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38. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for Howth Harbour, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43005/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is one of the six designated Fishery Harbour Centres, which are owned, managed and maintained by my Department.  All six Fishery Centres are first and foremost working fishery harbours.  However each centre has unique features which facilitate a broad range of other diverse activities which are important from both an economic and social perspective.

My Department is conscious of the importance of both fishing and non fishing activities at the harbours and endeavours to facilitate and develop both.  This involves day to day operational support by Harbour staff and management and development and repair of infrastructure subject to available financial resources.

Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is no exception to this diversity, in addition to fishing, there is a wide range of recreational users of the harbour, including the yacht club, sport fishermen, walkers, tourists and other social users. There is a significant number of businesses, particularly restaurants, operating in the Harbour Centre.

Notwithstanding the prevailing economic environment in which we operate, I am happy to be able to advise the House that in excess of €3.2 million has been invested in maintenance, development and upgrading works at Howth FHC as part of my Department's Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme from 2011 to 2013. This investment has resulted in a significant improvement in the electrical infrastructure available, the traffic management system and the access available to persons of reduced mobility. It has also served as a catalyst for the enhancement of facilities available to the marine leisure and tourism sector, boat repair facilities and indeed business generally in the harbour.

In March 2014 I approved funding of €1.18 million for the maintenance and development of Howth Fishery Harbour Centre this year. Major works for 2014 include the continued upgrading of the electrical system.

The development and upkeep of Howth as a state of the art Fishery Harbour Centre, supporting a broad range of marine related activities is and will remain an ongoing process. Any suggestions from Fishery Harbour Users for the development and improvement of the facilities at Howth will, as has been the case, be given due consideration.

While Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is first and foremost a working fishery harbour, my Department is conscious that it is also a very important tourist destination in addition to being a major venue for leisure activities.  With that in mind the Department is anxious to increase the profile of the Harbour for the betterment of the wider community.

Balancing the needs of the fishing industry with those of the wider range of harbour users, while delivering on a public service remit will be foremost when considering future developments in the harbour. Of course any new developments will be done on the basis of available exchequer funding and competing National priorities.