Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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487. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount invested over the 2020 to 2024 period in current and capital expenditure in local piers and harbours, by relevant county, in tabular form. [41045/24]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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488. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline current annual funding provided for initiatives (details supplied); and the breakdown, by scheme/funding stream if available, in tabular form. [41046/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 487 and 488 together.

The 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.

My Department administers Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Schemes for capital works undertaken by the Local Authorities. Funding for individual projects is allocated in advance of project commencement. My Department reimburses the Local Authorities the eligible project costs (pro-rata) on a matured liability basis following inspection of the capital works and verification of the evidenced expenditure. The focus of the Schemes is to support actual capital works and it is a matter for each Local Authority to progress any preparatory studies, permitting and design works. Therefore, if the Deputy requires overall investment (project costs), each Local Authority would be best positioned to provide same.

In 2020 and 2021, the Local Authorities were reimbursed €2.4m and €3.5m respectively for capital projects completed under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programmes for those years. Through the Brexit Adjustment Local Authority Marine Infrastructure (BALAMI) Scheme 2022-2023, my Department provided an unprecedented level of funding, reimbursing the Local Authorities a total of €37.8m over 2022 and 2023, of which €35.4m was funded by the Brexit Adjustment Reserve and €2.4m was supported by the National Exchequer (Brexit Adjustment Reserve does not provide for reimbursement of VAT).

In January of this year, I announced the allocation of €12.7m for 15 local authority marine infrastructure projects. Details of the announcement and project allocations are available in tabular form online at . These projects were previously put forward by the Local Authorities under the Brexit Adjustment Local Authority Marine Infrastructure (BALAMI) Scheme 2022-2023. To date in 2024 over €2.5m has been reimbursed to the Local Authorities with over €2.3m of that being funded from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve and the balance supported by the National Exchequer.

The attached table details the funding administered by my Department in the period 2020-2023, and the funding allocated in 2024 under the Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Schemes. Final expenditure for 2024 will not be available until after the Scheme closes at the end of the year.

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