Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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101. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the recent lettings in Howth Harbour in 2014 and in 2015 to date; if he will indicate how upcoming vacancies and tenders were advertised and how the competition for rental of these premises was conducted by his Department and by the Office of Public Works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33652/15]

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 and managed by my Department under Statute. Responsibility for the management of the Fishery Harbour Centres’ property portfolio is solely under my Department’s remit and the Office of Public Works has no role in this regard. The property portfolio in Howth encompasses a range of diverse properties reflecting its remit as a working fishery harbour and its unique features which facilitate a broad range of other diverse activities which are important from both an economic and social perspective.

The selection of properties for leasing is based on factors such as availability, potential income, interest level, the potential benefit to the harbour itself and prevailing economic conditions.

Properties are, when appropriate, offered for tenancy under lease agreement by means of open competitive tendering process in accordance with normal public procurement guidelines. Maintaining a fair and transparent process where all interested parties are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in such competitions is a priority.

On Monday 15 June 2015 my Department offered two properties for tenancy under lease agreement at Howth Fishery Harbour Centre by competitive public tender. The competitions were advertised on my Department’s website, in a national and local newspaper and within the harbour and were open to all interested parties. Both competitions followed the same format which was developed in conjunction with my Department’s legal advisors. The format was included in the published Tender Documents which are still available on my Department’s website. The successful and unsuccessful Tenderers for these competitions have been notified and the finalisation of the lease agreements is well advanced.

There was no competitive tendering process undertaken in 2014 for Fishery Harbour Centre property, including Howth.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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102. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if all tenancy agreements in Howth Harbour have been brought up to date; if he will provide a list of the tenancies in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33653/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The six Fishery Harbour Centres, including Howth, contain a diverse property portfolio reflecting their role as working fishery harbours and as the location for a broad range of other marine activities. The majority of Fishery Harbour Centre properties are leased by my Department to a variety of public and private sector tenants which support this range of activities, which is vital economically and socially, to the coastal communities the Fishery Harbour Centres serve. There are a total of 70 properties/sites in the Howth Fishery Harbour Centre property portfolio,10 of which are occupied by commercial entities without current documented lease agreements in place, of these 10 only 4 are in arrears of rent. Progress is being made to regularise all these property arrangements. I am not in a position to provide details of the individuals concerned for confidentiality reasons.

Since taking over responsibility for the management and operation of the Fishery Harbour Centres my Department has established a dedicated Property Unit to manage the property portfolio. In addition my Department worked closely with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office to increase the legal capacity resource for progressing the often complex and protracted legal aspects relating to outstanding property cases. An additional solicitor was employed by the Chief State Solicitor’s Office at my Department’s request to deal exclusively with Fishery Harbour Centre property portfolio, the cost of which is being met from the Department’s Fishery Harbour Centre Fund.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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103. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total of rent arrears in all tenancies of State property in Howth Harbour on 1 September 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33654/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There are 70 properties in Howth Fishery Harbour Centre of which 13 are in rental arrears to the total amount of €603,395. The issues associated with the property portfolio are by and large legacy problems. On taking over responsibility for the management and operation of the Fishery Harbour Centres my Department established a dedicated Property Unit to manage the property portfolio. My Department worked closely with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office to increase the legal capacity resource for progressing the often complex and protracted legal aspects relating to outstanding property cases. An additional solicitor was employed by the Chief State Solicitor’s Office at my Department’s request to deal exclusively with Fishery Harbour Centre property portfolio, the cost of which is being met from the Department’s Fishery Harbour Centre Fund.

In addition, a dedicated Debt Recovery Unit was established in October 2009 to address the debt that had developed in the harbours predating my Department. In 2013, my Departments Management Advisory Committee set up a Debtor Review Group comprising of representatives from Accounts, Finance and Legal Services Divisions to assist and give direction to debtor divisions in the area of debt management. A Central Debt Management Group has been formed to monitor compliance and debt levels.