Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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1502. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration has been given to exploiting the current potential of Ros an Mhíl harbour in Connemara to support the marine renewable industry; the steps that are required to further enhance or develop this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32529/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Fishery Harbours Act 1968 established the concept of fishery harbours in the State and invested their management in the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine took over responsibility for the Fishery Harbour Centres(FHCs) in October 2007. Ros an Mhíl is one of six Fishery Harbour Centres, the others are located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth and Killybegs.

The FHCs were established to act as dedicated centres and focal points for the promotion and development of the Irish seafood industry which comes under the remit of this Department.

Overall policies and strategies for delivering on climate change and renewable energies are not primarily a matter for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, these primarily fall under the remit of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.

Funding for Capital works is made available on an annual basis by my Department to the Fishery Harbour Centres, including Ros an Mhíl, via the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. A phased programme for the infrastructural development of Ros an Mhíl FHC has been progressed over the last number of years, which has seen a significant investment. In total, approx €31m has been invested in capital developments at Ros an Mhíl FHC between 2000 and 2019. In addition, in excess of €1.5m has been allocated for capital works in the harbour in 2020.

Should any proposals be brought forward either centrally or from private enterprises to develop the infrastructure in Ros an Mhíl further to support the marine renewable industry they will be considered as appropriate.

As is the case with all developments in the six Fishery Harbour Centres generally, any future decision with regard to formally initiating large scale projects in Ros an Mhíl, will only be considered on the basis of available exchequer funding, competing national priorities and compatability with existing activities.