John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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333. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on the engagement between his Department and Enterprise Ireland since the beginning of December 2017 to explore the possibility of making suitable fishery harbour centre properties available for appropriate Enterprise Ireland projects in view of the recommendations by the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts in 2016; and if specific potential has been identified at Dunmore East, County Waterford for this purpose. [18828/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Dunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre is one of six State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres managed and operated by my Department under statute.

Following publication of the Public Accounts Committee Report on the Fishery Harbour Centres in June 2015 my Department began an ongoing engagement with Enterprise Ireland to consider the possibilities of suitable Fishery Harbour Centre properties for potential clients of the agency to facilitate the delivery of appropriate Enterprise Ireland projects.

Since the beginning of December 2017 Enterprise Ireland has been involved with my Department in relation to a specific case in one of the Fishery Harbour Centres. At present, no properties in Dunmore East have been identified as possible locations for a collaboration between my Department and an Enterprise Ireland sponsored project.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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334. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of proposals to construct a breakwater extension at Dunmore East, County Waterford to provide shelter for vessels and users of the harbour and scope for enhanced marine leisure activities. [18829/18]

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

I am happy to advise the Deputy that in excess of €14 million has been invested in maintenance, development and upgrading works at Dunmore East FHC as part of my Department’s Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme from 2010 to 2017, including the €6 million dredging project in 2015 which has improved conditions for fishing vessels in the harbour and manoeuvrability for fish landings.

This year I allocated further funding of €2.4 million for the ongoing maintenance and development of Dunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre during 2018. Significant works in this year’s capital programme include the completion of the west wharf upgrade works.

In relation to a proposed breakwater at Dunmore East, the Department engaged consulting engineers to examine options for the citing and construction of a breakwater on the west side of the harbour. Wave modelling carried out by engineers in this regard suggests that all the various options would have a negative impact on the sandy coves in the general vicinity.

The Department is conscious of the issues and will keep the situation under review while considering what other options may be possible.

As the Deputy is aware, all developments in the six Fishery Harbour Centres will be considered under future Capital Programmes on the basis of available exchequer funding and competing national priorities.