Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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388. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide the long overdue landing facility in Cromane, County Kerry; his views that this is a genuine "Health and Safety" issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23313/26]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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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. This includes ensuring facilities are compliant with health and safety requirements. The facilities at Cromane are under the remit of Kerry County Council in the first instance and its parent Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, thereafter.

My Department has provided funding, under both the Local Authority Marine Infrastructure and Brexit Adjustment Local Authority Marine Infrastructure (BALAMI) schemes, to assist coastal Local Authorities in carrying out small scale, shovel ready projects for the development and repair of piers, harbours and slipways in their ownership. Between 2010 and 2025, Kerry County Council received funding of over €6.7 million from my Department in this regard.

On 16th February this year, I announced an allocation of €4.3 million for the 2026 Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme. The deadline for receipt of applications was 9th March. Applications were received from every coastal Local Authority including Kerry County Council. My Department did not receive an application to fund any works at Cromane under this year’s scheme.

I and previous Ministers have provided a commitment for my Department to work with Kerry County Council to examine the feasibility of providing a landing facility at Cromane. Unfortunately I understand that Kerry County Council experienced difficulties in securing the land necessary to progress earlier development plans.

My Department recently engaged with Kerry County Council Senior Engineers on this matter and will attend a working group in the coming weeks to explore future plans. Any funding in relation to this pier will be given due consideration, taking into account the terms and conditions of Department schemes, available Exchequer funding and overall national priorities.