Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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234. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for the future of Howth Harbour, County Dublin and other harbours regarding tourism perspectives, opportunities for marine leisure and fishing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49397/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has responsibility for the six Fishery Harbour Centres located at Howth, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, Dingle, Ros an Mhíl and Killybegs. The Centres are first and foremost working fishery harbours and their primary objective is to provide for the needs of fishermen and the fishing industry generally. Each Centre has unique features which facilitate a broad range of other diverse activities. The Department is conscious of the importance of both fishing and non fishing activities at the harbours and endeavours to facilitate and develop both.

Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is no exception to this diversity and the Department is anxious to increase the profile of the Harbour for the betterment of the wider community. Howth Harbour regularly receives applications for holding events, yacht races, local celebrations etcwithin the harbour precincts and indeed most of these are approved.

In excess of €17 million has been invested in maintenance, development and upgrading works at the Centres in the period 2011 to 2013. Over €3.2 million of this was allocated to Howth, which has 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 harbours. For 2014 funding of €8.64 million was approved for the maintenance and development of the Centres, including €1.18 million in respect of Howth.

I have allocated €11.5 million in voted funds for the 2015 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. Decisions on the projects for inclusion under this programme will be based on an evaluation of the priorities across the six Fishery Harbour Centres taking due account of the overall funds available.

The development and upkeep of each harbour as a state of the art Fishery Harbour Centre, supporting a broad range of marine related activities is and will remain an ongoing process.Harbour Users Fora meetings are held regularly at each harbour and provide an important platform for sharing ideas with our customers and obtaining stakeholder feedback which ultimately helps inform decisions on the future developments in the harbours.