Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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293. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has held any meetings with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport regarding opportunities to promote, and increase, tourism in Howth, County Dublin. [7968/15]

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.  Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is no exception to this diversity, while 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 a wide range of recreational users of the harbour, including the yacht club, sport fishermen, walkers, tourists and other social users. The Deputy will be aware that there are also a significant number of businesses, particularly restaurants, operating in the Harbour. With that in mind the Department is anxious to increase the profile of the Harbour for the betterment of the wider community.

To this end, the Harbour regularly approves applications for events, yacht races, local celebrations and various functions etc within the harbour precincts. For example, in July 2014, the Asgard Centennial Celebrations were held at Howth harbour, with the keynote Address delivered by President Higgins. It is estimated that this event alone attracted in excess of 25,000 visitors to the harbour.

In addition, the Department approved locating the Howth Tourism Information Office within the confines of Howth Fishery Harbour Centre. This facility opened in July 2014.

My Department liaises with all key stakeholders, in particular Fingal County Council, on an ongoing basis in relation to a wide range of harbour activities at Howth and is of course available to meet the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to discuss any matters of mutual interest pertaining to the harbour.