Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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276. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on the urgent need for dredging Howth Harbour in County Dublin; when dredging will commence; the estimated cost of the regular dredging and upkeep of the harbour; if dredging of the harbour is included in the 2016 capital Estimates or in the 2016 to 2018 capital envelope; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42661/15]

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.

While first and foremost a working fishery harbour, Howth, similar to the other five Fishery Harbour Centres, has its own unique features and is home to a broad range of diverse economic and social activities.

I am happy to advise the Deputy that, notwithstanding the prevailing economic environment in which we operate, in excess of €4.2 million has been invested in maintenance, development and upgrading works at Howth FHC as part of my Department’s Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme from 2011 to 2014.

For 2015, I approved funding of €1.79 million for the maintenance and development of Howth Fishery Harbour Centre. As part of that programme, I sanctioned €150,000 for site investigation works at Howth Fishery Harbour Centre, the report on this site investigation will include vital information on the nature of the material to be dredged in any future dredging project. It is anticipated that the Report on the Site Investigation will be issued in early 2016. This information is necessary for the preparation of a Dumping at Sea licence application which will be required before any dredging project can commence.

The information from the report is also necessary before an informed estimate of the cost of a dredging project in Howth can be made. As with all other developments in the six Fishery Harbour Centres, a dredging project at Howth Fishery Harbour Centre will be considered under future Capital Programmes on the basis of available exchequer funding and competing priorities.

I am considering the suite of projects for inclusion in the 2016 programme, in addition to commitments on possible longer term projects and I will make an announcement on these issues in due course.