Written answers
Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Departmental Funding
Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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653. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the capital works projects funded under the 2025 fishery harbour coastal infrastructure development programme in Dunmore East Fisheries Harbour Centre; and when each of those projects will be completed, in tabular form. [31921/25]
Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl under statute. It also has responsibility for Cape Clear, Cleggan and some Piers, Lights and Beacons.
In March, Minister Dooley and I announced a capital investment package of €27.75 million for the 2025 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. The allocation included:
- capital commitments for ongoing projects and the planned commencement of some new projects;
- monies for safety and maintenance and disability access works; plant and machinery; Cape Clear and piers, lights and beacons; and
- an allocation of funding for a Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme.
All capital projects are subject to rigorous project management processes including design, tender action and implementation stages, and ongoing monitoring, evaluation and review in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s Capital Works Management Framework and the Infrastructural Guidelines. Additionally, all contractual projects are subject to the applicable conditions of contract and, as such, it is necessary to follow due process in accordance with such conditions.
Where consents such as planning permissions or waste licences are required, the timeline for processing of such consents is a matter for the permitting authority. Therefore, it is not possible to advise with certainty either the commencement or completion dates of all specific projects at this time. However, I expect that the more minor works projects not requiring statutory consents will be substantially completed by year end.
The attached table lists the capital projects proposed for Dunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre in 2025 with estimated commencement and completion dates.
David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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654. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the various funding mechanisms which exist for local authorities through his Department which relate to fisheries and the marine, in tabular form; and the level of funding directed to each local authority in each year from 2015 to 2025. [32440/25]
David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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655. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the capital funding allocated to each local authority for public harbours and piers through the Fishery Harbour Centre and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme and any other similar funding stream in each year from 2010 to 2025, in tabular form; and the total allocated to each local authority over the period. [32446/25]
Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The responsibility for the development and maintenance of local authority owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each local authority in the first instance. The primary governance role for local authorities rests with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. However, my Department has provided funding to assist coastal local authorities in carrying out projects for the development and repair of piers, harbours and slipways in their ownership.
As part of my Department's annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, limited funding is provided for small scale shovel ready projects under a Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme. My Department also administered the Brexit Adjustment Local Authority Marine Infrastructure (BALAMI) Scheme 2022-2023, which provided unprecedented funding under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve. In 2024, funding was allocated to 15 local authority marine infrastructure projects previously allocated funding under the BALAMI Scheme but which encountered delivery challenges including in relation to consenting, procurement, supply chain and weather windows for works. In this period (2022-2024), there was no separate local authority scheme funded by my Department.
Between the years 2010 and 2024, my Department reimbursed total funding of over €84.6 million on a matured liability basis to local authorities under both the Local Authority and BALAMI schemes. The focus of the funding is to support actual capital works and it is a matter for each local authority to manage and deliver the projects, and to submit a claim for reimbursement within the timeframe of the scheme.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that on 21st May last, Minister Dooley and I announced an allocation of €4.33 million for 57 projects across 11 coastal local authorities under the 2025 Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme. My Department will co-fund up to 75% of the eligible project costs, with the local authorities providing the balance. The maximum funding to be provided by my Department per eligible project is €187,500 (75% of €250,000).
The attached table details the funding reimbursed by my Department to local authorities in the period 2010-2024. The 2025 funding allocation to local authorities is included in the table. Final expenditure for 2025 will not be available until after the scheme closes at the end of the year.
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