Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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671. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of dredging works in Dingle harbour (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37581/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Dingle Fishery Harbour Centre is one of the six designated Fishery Harbour Centres which are owned, managed and maintained by my Department under Statute.

The possibility of a dredging project in Dingle has been mooted for some time and in that regard my Department had previously carried out investigations in relation to dredging the main navigation channel into Dingle Harbour.

I am happy to advise the Deputy that funding of €1.225 million was made available for new capital works and the maintenance of Dingle Fishery Harbour Centre during 2016.  Of importance in the context of a possible future dredging project at Dingle is the allocation of €500,000 for preparatory elements required before such project could commence.

To progress this, my Department engaged the services of a consultancy firm with expertise in civil and marine engineering earlier this year. The objective was to prepare a preliminary report, detailed design and tender documentation for the Dredging of Navigation Channel at Dingle. Part of that process included a geotechnical site investigation and a vessel simulation study, together with environmental studies and archaeological studies.

The Consultant's report is currently being finalised, however my Department's engineers are moving ahead with the preparation of application documents for the necessary statutory consents required before any project can proceed.

The Deputy should note however, that as with all developments in the six Fishery Harbour Centres, a possible future dredging project at Dingle FHC will be considered under future Capital Programmes on the basis of available exchequer funding and competing priorities.