Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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518. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to transfer responsibility for marine leisure development to the proposed new Department of rural and regional affairs, given the potential for this industry in rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15914/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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S.I. No. 163/2011 - Marine Tourism (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 confers on me a limited and narrow role in the development of Marine Leisure generally. However, overall responsibility for Marine Leisure Development transcends a number of Departments. Responsibility for the promotion of cultural heritage rests with the Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht while the promotion of tourism rests with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.  Those Ministers, their Departments and agencies publish policies and operate schemes to provide funding in a structured way.  Additionally, local authorities provide funding for community-based maritime projects.  The Heritage Council proposes and advises on national heritage policy and interacts with the local authorities through the Heritage Officer programme. 

The responsibility for the development, repair and maintenance of Local Authority owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with the Local Authorities in the first instance and their parent Department, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

My Department does, however provide funding to assist in the development and repair of Local Authority owned piers, harbours and slipways under the annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme subject to available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities. There is a Marine Leisure element to this programme.

I am happy to inform the deputy that in 2016 an overall €4.5m package was approved to assist in the development and repair of 90 Local Authority owned harbours and slipways including some marine leisure projects. The package provides funding for the repair of piers damaged by recent storms, in addition to supporting the ongoing development and enhancement of other harbour facilities. 18 Marine Leisure projects attracted funding of €927,000 as part of this programme.