Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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343. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding funding for repairs to a pier slipway (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33332/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is responsible for the six Fishery Harbour Centres located at Howth, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, Dingle, Ros an Mhíl and Killybegs. This Department is also responsible for North Harbour at Cape Clear Island and for maintaining a range of piers, lights and beacons around the coast in accordance with the 1902 ex-congested Districts Board Piers, Lights and Beacons Act. The slipway referred to by the Deputy is owned by Kerry County Council, responsibility for it’s repair and maintenance rests with that Local Authority and their parent Department, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.

That said, my Department has in previous years provided funding to Local Authorities for small scale development and repair of Local Authority owned piers, harbours & slipways subject to the availability of exchequer funding. In 2015 I allocated €2.7 million for this purpose.

On the 20th March 2014, as part of the Governments overall co-ordinated response to the damage caused by the winter storms in 2013 and 2014, I approved a total of €8.5 million in funding for a once off programme to the repair of the public pier, harbour and slipway network linked to fisheries and aquaculture. I have also allocated €1.4 million in 2015 for the purpose of completing unfinished, eligible Local Authority projects originally approved under the 2014 Storm Damage Programme.

No application was received from Kerry County Council in relation to the particular slipway referred to by the Deputy, under either the Storm Damage Programme 2014 or the 2015 Harbour Development Scheme & Marine Leisure & Marine Tourism Programme.

Any application submitted by Kerry County Council in respect of this slipway under a future Local Authority capital programme, will be given consideration in the context of the criteria set out, available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.