Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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19. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will assist Fingal County Council with the Howth public realm assessment that is currently being undertaken, with the aim of better integrating the Howth Harbour area in County Dublin with the rest of the village and peninsula; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18458/15]

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 under Statute.  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 my Department is anxious to increase the profile of the Harbour for the betterment of the wider community.

My Department engages and co-operates with Fingal County Council on an ongoing basis in regard to issues of joint interest in Howth. In the context of the Council’s Public Realm Consultation Process, the Harbour Master for Howth attended the Public Consultation Participatory Workshop on 22nd October 2014 organised by the Council. I welcome publication of the resultant Howth Public Realm Stakeholder Consultation Draft Report and notes the various potential Public Realm Projects detailed therein.

The Draft Report lists my Department as one of a number of key stakeholders whose input may be required in terms of subsequent Project prioritisation, initialisation and delivery. I can assure the Deputy that my Department will continue, where appropriate, to facilitate initiatives to promote Howth and to liaise with Fingal County Council and other stakeholders on an ongoing basis as required.