Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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383. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to perform urgent improvement works to Kilkeveragh Pier, Portmagee, County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50518/26]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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My Department owns, operates and maintains the six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros an Mhíl. In addition, my Department is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of North Harbour at Cape Clear and for a small number of specific piers, lights and beacons throughout the State.

In the case of Kilkeveragh Pier, there is no evidence that my Department, or its predecessors in title, has any ownership interest in this property. Departmental records indicate that the pier was built and owned by Trinity College Dublin as part of the Iveragh Estate. These records further indicate that, while the Trinity College Dublin estates, including the Barony of Iveragh, were transferred to the Congested Districts Board in 1913, Kilkeveragh Pier was specifically excluded from that transfer.

Accordingly, based on the records held by my Department, it is understood that Trinity College Dublin retained ownership of the pier following the 1913 transfer.

Notwithstanding this, my Department has engaged with Trinity College Dublin to establish whether there is a basis for further engagement regarding the records held by both parties. My Department's Records Branch have corresponded directly with the College in relation to its request to access departmental records.

As the records available to my Department indicate that Kilkeveragh Pier is not under its ownership or responsibility, I have no statutory basis on which to undertake improvement works at this location. However, my Department remains willing to engage with Trinity College Dublin should it wish to progress its request for access to the relevant records so that the ownership position can be further clarified if required.