Minister Creed announces €35.7 million in funding for capital projects at Ireland's Fishery Harbour Centres and publicly owned Harbour Network
- Published on: 27 January 2019
- Last updated on: 11 April 2020
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD, today announced details of a €35.7 million Capital Investment Package for the ongoing development of Ireland’s publicly owned harbour network.
In announcing the initiative the Minister said:
"I am delighted to announce this €35.7 million capital investment package in our six Fishery Harbour Centres and other fisheries related marine infrastructure. It represents an increase of €9.4 million on the final expenditure on this programme in 2018 and underlines the importance this government places on the ever significant contribution of the wider Seafood sector to Ireland's economy."
The Annual Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Capital Programme provides funding for safety, maintenance and new development works at the six Fishery Harbour Centres at Howth, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, Dingle, Ros An Mhíl and Killybegs (see Table 1 below). The primary function of the Fishery Harbour Centres is to underpin the ongoing development of the fisheries and seafood processing sectors while also facilitating other diverse marine related activities.
Flagship projects in the 2019 Capital Programme include the continuation of the Dinish Island quay extension at Castletownbere (€17.5 million in 2019), the Smooth Point extension Phase 2 at Killybegs (€4.0 million in 2019) and the provision of additional berthing space on the Middle Pier in Howth (€4.5 million in 2019).
The Minister said:
"The quay extension projects in Castletownbere, Killybegs and Howth will collectively provide an additional 460 metres of berthing space in the respective harbours recognising the growing levels of fishing activity in particular, but also the increasing demands from other sectors including commercial cargo, leisure and tourism and cruise liners. These projects are also under consideration for co-funding under the European Maritime Fisheries Fund."
€2.48 million has been set aside for safety, maintenance and disability access works at the six Fishery Harbour Centres and at North Harbour, Cape Clear which is also owned by the department. In addition €2 million is earmarked for a Local Authority Harbour Development and Marine Leisure programme to assist coastal Local Authorities in the repair and development of piers, harbours and slipways under their ownership.
The Minister concluded by saying:
"This €35.7 investment will build on the €96 million invested in the Fishery Harbour Centres since 2010 and the €27 million invested in the Local Authority infrastructure over the same period. Improving the standards of facilities at our Fishery Harbour Centres and other public harbours around our coast attracts increasing and additional economic activities, benefitting a broad cohort of current and future harbour users including the fishing industry, seafood processing sector, other ancillary marine industries, and the wider rural coastal communities."
ENDS
Notes to the Editor:
Table 1- Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2019
Howth
| Project Description | Cost €m |
| Middle Pier Berthing Face | 4.5 |
| Howth Harbour Dredge – Design and Permitting | 0.1 |
| Claremount Storage Units - Construction | 0.6 |
| Harbour Workshop – Construction | 0.3 |
| Syncrolift Upgrade/Repairs | 0.15 |
| East Pier Repairs | 0.12 |
| Contractual Commitments | 0.2 |
| Safety and Maintenance | 0.42 |
| Disability Access | 0.02 |
| Total | 6.41 |
Dunmore East
| Project Description | Cost €m |
| West Wharf (phase 4) | 0.55 |
| New Pontoon | 0.5 |
| Contractual Commitments | 0.4 |
| Safety and Maintenance | 0.5 |
| Disability Access | 0.02 |
| Total | 1.97 |
Castletownbere
| Project Description | Cost €m |
| 17.5 | |
| Other Contractual Commitments | 0.41 |
| Safety and Maintenance | 0.32 |
| Disability Access | 0.02 |
| Total | 18.25 |
Dingle
| Project Description | Cost €m |
| Water Metering | 0.2 |
| Contractual Commitments | 0.23 |
| Safety and Maintenance | 0.43 |
| Disability Access | 0.02 |
| Total | 0.88 |
Ros an Mhíl
| Project Description | Cost €m |
| Breakwater extension | 0.6 |
| New Slipway (phase 1 dredging) | 0.1 |
| Safety and Maintenance | 0.22 |
| Disability Access | 0.02 |
| Total | 0.94 |
Killybegs
| Project Description | Cost €m |
| Smooth point phase 2 | 4 |
| Contractual Commitments | 0.6 |
| Safety and Maintenance | 0.4 |
| Disability Access | 0.02 |
| Total | 5.02 |
Total FHCs
33.47
Cape Clear
| Project Description | Cost €m |
| Safety and Maintenance | 0.06 |
| Other works | 0.065 |
| Disability Access | 0.01 |
| Total | 0.135 |
Local Authority
| Project Description | Cost €m |
| Local Authority Programme | 2 |
PLBs
| Project Description | Cost €m |
| Safety and Maintenance | 0.085 |
Total
| Project Description | Cost €m |
| 35.69 |