From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Fisheries, Timmy Dooley, today announced the allocation of €27.75 million for capital projects in Ireland’s publicly owned harbours through the 2025 Fishery Harbour Centre and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme.
The investment will modernise and enhance the six state-owned Fishery Harbour Centres and includes funding for local authorities through a marine infrastructure sub-scheme (see Table 1 attached). The Fishery Harbour Centres are located at Killybegs, Ros an Mhíl, An Daingean, Castletownbere, Dunmore East and Howth.
Emphasising the importance of the investment, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, said:
“The projects in the 2025 Fishery Harbour Centre and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, will enhance the essential economic contributions of Ireland’s fishing sector and play a significant role in sustaining the vibrancy of these coastal communities. This is great news for these important communities, and I am delighted to show that we are delivering on the Programme for Government 2025 action to maintain support for the fishing sector, aquaculture as well investing in our State Fishery Harbour Centres and public marine infrastructure.”
Speaking at the Castletownbere Fishery Harbour Centre where the announcement was made, Minister Dooley commented:
“Standing here today in the world class facilities at Castletownbere, and having visited Ros an Mhíl on Friday last, I can see that the facilities available at our Fishery Harbour Centres play a vital role for the Irish seafood sector. The Programme for Government outlines this government’s commitment to investment in our State Fishery Harbour Centres and public marine infrastructure. This ongoing investment reflects the government's steadfast dedication to bolstering the fishing industry and supporting rural coastal communities.”
Approximately 87% of all fish landed into Ireland each year arrives at the Fishery Harbour Centres. In 2023, Bord Iascaigh Mhara valued the GDP of the Irish seafood industry at €1.2 billion. The investment in public marine infrastructure also underpins the emphasis in Food Vision 2030 on supporting primary and secondary producers in continuing to make improvements in environmental, economic and social sustainability.
The projects in the 2025 Fishery Harbour Centre and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, will enhance the essential economic contributions of Ireland’s fishing sector and play a significant role in sustaining the vibrancy of these coastal communities.
Additional projects planned this year also demonstrate the department's commitment to supporting the government's environmental and sustainability agenda at the Fishery Harbour Centres. For example, projects such as water metering, renewable energy upgrades, and installation of LED public lighting are funded on an ongoing basis.
The Programme also provides for maintenance works at North Harbour Cape Clear and a small number of piers, lights and beacons for which the department has responsibility. These structures date back to the 1902 Marine Works Act and the Congested District Board.
Minister Dooley continued:
“The Fishery Harbour Centres also serve a variety of marine commercial enterprises, encompassing commercial cargo operations, cruise ships, dining establishments, and various water-based leisure, tourism, and social pursuits. The 2025 programme is critical to ensuring funding for a diverse suite of projects and continues this government’s commitment to rural development, building on the success of previous programmes."
The Minister also announced the Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme, which forms part of the 2025 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. The Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme provides funding for maintenance and repair works in addition to supporting the ongoing development and enhancement of harbour facilities including some marine leisure developments. Under the scheme, the department will co-fund up to 75% of the eligible project costs with the local authority providing the balance.
Commenting on the Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme, the Minister said:
"I am delighted to announce the continuation of our programme to assist coastal local authorities in the repair and development of fishery and aquaculture linked marine infrastructures under their ownership. The 2025 funding allocation of €4.3 million is the largest funding allocation to the Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme in recent years, outside of the one-off Brexit Adjustment Reserve funding administered under the Brexit Adjustment Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme 2022-2023."
Minister Dooley concluded the announcement by saying:
"The local authority owned harbours targeted by the 2025 programme play a critical role in the social and economic wellbeing of rural coastal communities. In addition to an immediate employment spin-off during the works, this funding contributes to the ongoing development of fishing related activities, increasing participation in marine leisure and supplementing measures to attract greater numbers of tourists which ultimately create the environment for sustainable job creation opportunities in rural locations."
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will administer the programme and will work closely with coastal local authorities to ensure that any approved scheme projects receive allocated funding.
Table 1 Fishery Harbour Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2025
Table 1 Fishery Harbour Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2025
Table 1 attached provides the details of the overall Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2025. Funding for the Programme comes from the department’s Vote and the Fishery Harbour Centre Fund. The Fishery Harbour Centres and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme delivers on the Programme for Government 2025 action to ‘maintain support for the inshore fishing sector, aquaculture as well investing in our State Fishery Harbour Centres and public marine infrastructure’ (Fisheries and the Marine section). The Programme also delivers on Action MA/24/9 of The Marine Adaptation and Marine Mitigation section of the government’s Climate Action Plan 2025 to “Investigate the potential of renewable energies in Fishery Harbour Centres”.