Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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387. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to invest in local authority-controlled piers and harbours across the State over the forthcoming Government term; and if he will confirm that central Exchequer investment in these piers and harbours will not cease as the Brexit adjustment reserve fund concludes. [13142/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl under statute. The responsibility for the development and maintenance of local authority owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each local authority in the first instance and their parent Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage thereafter.

However, my Department has, as part of its annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, provided limited funding to assist coastal local authorities in carrying out small scale projects for the development and repair of piers, harbours and slipways in their ownership.

One of the actions for my Department in the Programme for Government is to maintain support for the inshore fishing sector, aquaculture as well investing in our State Fishery Harbour Centres and public marine infrastructure and I am fully committed to this process.

On March 13th my colleague Minister of State for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Fisheries Timmy Dooley TD announced an allocation of €27.75 million to my Department’s 2025 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme.

The announcement included €4.3 million funding for maintenance and repair works of coastal local authority infrastructure. My Department will co-fund up to 75% of the eligible project costs with the local authority providing the balance. I encourage local authorities to submit applications before the April 4th closing date.

This programme is operated on an annual basis and not on a multi-annual. Expenditure provisions for future years will be determined through the National Budgetary process.