Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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181. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will implement the recommendations of the Sea Food Sector Taskforce report as it pertains to investment in piers and harbours across the State and supplement the Brexit Adjustment Reserve investment with central Exchequer funding; and if he will remove the recently announced limit of expenditure on individual piers and harbours under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve investment funds. [6870/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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On 25th January I launched a new €35m scheme exclusively for the rejuvenation of Local Authority owned public piers and harbours. The scheme flows from a recommendation from the Seafood Taskforce which I set up last year to examine how to address the impacts arising on the seafood sector from the EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). In keeping with the Taskforce recommendation, this scheme is being proposed for funding under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve and will run throughout 2022 and 2023.

The Scheme is aiming to attract shovel-ready projects of up to €1m budget in areas where the local coastal community is dependent on fishing activities, in particular the small-scale coastal fisheries sector. In addition, the Scheme offers the possibility of funding larger projects where there is particular exposure to Brexit due to proximity to UK waters and the loss of fishing opportunities. By way of comparison, in 2021 my Department provided funding for projects of up to €200,000 in value and I had made €4.2 million available in funding for this purpose. For this new Scheme, my Department is proposing to refund the cost of VAT for approved projects from its Voted allocation as VAT is not eligible under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve.

The terms of the scheme mirror the Taskforce recommendations, in particular with a focus on shovel-ready projects to provide immediate construction stimulus to affected areas. I would encourage all coastal local authorities to get their project applications together and work closely with my Department to ensure that eligible projects receive funding.

I must stress that responsibility for the development and maintenance of Local Authority owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each Local Authority in the first instance. I am also mindful that the primary governance role for local authorities rests with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and any wider funding issues for local authorities should be addressed to that Minister.