Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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707. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the possible provision of funding to complete works to the wall at the pier entrance in Helvick, County Waterford; the position regarding required dredging works to ensure that vessels can travel freely as opposed to current situation by which they must await certain tide levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54255/21]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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717. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding that is available from his Department to fund pre-dredging works at Helvick Head Pier, County Waterford such as for an environmental impact assessment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54463/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 707 and 717 together.

The pier at Helvick Harbour is owned by Waterford City & County Council and responsibility for its maintenance and development rests with that local authority in the first instance and its parent Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage thereafter.

My Department provides funding to assist coastal local authorities in carrying out small scale projects for the development and repair of local authority owned piers, harbours and slipways under the annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. Funding under the Programme is confined to capital works only. Between the years 2010-2020, Waterford City & County Council has received funding of €3.1m under this programme, with €530,000 of this allocated for works at Helvick Pier. Most recently in May the Council secured funding of €510,0000 to support five projects including an allocation of €150,000 for upgrade works at Helvick Pier.

Any decisions concerning future developments at Helvick Pier are a matter for the local authority concerned.

Recently, I received the Report of the Seafood Sector Task Force which makes recommendations to address the impacts on the fishing sector and coastal communities of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom. The Taskforce has recommended an initiative of significant investment in publicly owned marine infrastructure to assist in diversification of economic opportunities and I have asked my Department officials to urgently examine this recommendation (as well as the others).