Ireland: Minister Announces Capital Investment in Harbour Developments

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, announced details of a €23m package for the repair of public owned piers, harbours and slipways damaged during the winter storms and for investment in the ongoing development of Ireland’s public harbour network.

In announcing this initiative, the Minister said “We are all too well aware of the damage wreaked on our harbour network during the winter storms. I am delighted to announce as part of an extended capital programme for 2014, this significant funding for the immediate repair of piers and harbours across the country”.

€8.5m for 115 storm damaged piers and harbours to assist 11 Local Authorities and the Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine to repair this storm damaged infrastructure.

– Funding of €7m for 111 projects to repair Local Authority owned storm damaged harbours, piers and slipways and €1.5m for remediation work at four Department owned, non-Fishery Harbour Centres including €1.3m for North Harbour Cape Clear.

“In addition, a further €14.63m of funding is being provided for harbour development in 2014 and this represents a significant increase on the level of funding provided in 2013. This is an indication of the Government’s commitment to developing our fishery harbours for the benefit of our fishing industry, seafood processing sector, other ancillary marine industries, tenants and the wider community. It is part of an ongoing and long term strategy to develop and improve the facilities at our Fishery Harbour Centres and other public harbours around our coast.”

– €11.63m of this is allocated towards safety, maintenance and new development works at six Fishery Harbour Centres at Howth, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, Dingle, Ros a Mhíl and Killybegs, in addition to infrastructural improvement works at “bull nose” pier, North Harbour, Cape Clear.

This works also includes €4m for dredging works at Dunmore East.

– €3m is being allocated for Local Authority Harbour Development and Marine Leisure programmes.

The Department is contacting the relevant Local Authorities in relation to applications under this element of the Programme.

Flagship projects in the 2014 Capital Programme include the works at “bull nose” pier Cape Clear, major dredging works at Dunmore East, electrical upgrading in Howth, slipway works at Ros a Mhíl, Castletownbere and Dingle, and a small craft harbour in Killybegs.

The Minister commented that “the projects consisting of €23m in total capital expenditure will repair the storm damage to our vitally important fisheries piers and harbours network and will develop our harbours for the benefit of our seafood industry and the coastal communities dependent on this infrastructure. This package will help to ensure that this important infrastructure is fit for purpose in the modern era and will bring significant added value to local communities and much welcome jobs and economic activity”.

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Press Release, March 20, 2014