Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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1422. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to assist with the installation of seabins; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36069/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department, under statute, owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl.

The Sea Bin in Howth Fishery Harbour Centre came about as a result of a fund raising exercise initiated by a local Marine Biologist. The Department funded the installation and will continue to maintain the Sea Bin into the future.

I would also advise the Deputy that my Department has for some four months now been trialing a similar Sea Bin in Dingle Fishery Harbour Centre. Ultimately, my Department sees the possible potential for these devises to augment and complement the on going operations to remove unwanted debris from the waters within the harbours.

Harbour Management in Howth and Dingle will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the Sea Bins and consider the most appropriate locations within the Harbours to maximise their capabilities.

The installation of Sea Bins will form part of the resource efficiency action plan of my Department for the Fishery Harbour Centres, as part of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment’sGreen Government Initiative. The Fishery Harbour Centres also work closely with BIM’s Fishing for Litter and Clean Oceans Initiatives and within my Department’s Climate Action Plan.

Future decisions on the wider roll out of these devices, will be made having considered the overall assessments of their operational impacts.