The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD, approves a €27.9m Capital Investment Package for the ongoing development of Ireland’s publicly owned fishery harbour network.
In announcing the initiative the Minister said “The €27.9m I am allocating for the 2018 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Capital Programme is a substantial capital investment in our six Fishery Harbour Centres and other fisheries related marine infrastructure. It builds on previous successful Capital Programmes, and is testament not only to this Governments ongoing commitment to the Seafood sector, but also to the success of the sector in terms of increased activity levels”
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) which account for 82% of all quota landings into Ireland. The primary function of the Fishery Harbour Centres is to underpin the ongoing development of the sea fisheries and seafood processing sectors while also facilitating other diverse marine related activities.
The Minister said “I have set aside almost €2.47m towards safety, maintenance and development works at the six Fishery Harbour Centres and at North Harbour, Cape Clear which is also owned by my Department. I have also allocated €2m 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.”
Flagship projects to commence under the 2018 Capital Programme, include the Dinish Island quay extension at Castletownbere (€7m allocated in 2018), the Smooth Point extension Phase 2 at Killybegs (€1.4m in 2018), capital works on the Middle and East piers in Howth and construction of a new slipway at Ros an Mhíl.
Applications for 50% co-funding from the European Maritime Fisheries Fund(EMFF) have been submitted in respect of five projects, namely the The Dinish Quay Extension, Castletown Bere, The Smooth Point Extension (phase 2), Killybegs, The Landing Pier upgrade (phase 2), Killybegs, Additional Berthing Middle Pier, Howth and the New Slipway, Ros an Mhíl
The Minister concluded by saying “This €27.9m investment will build on the on the €92m invested in the Fishery Harbour Centres since 2010 and the €25m invested in the Local Authority infrastructure over the same period. It continues to improve the facilities at our Fishery Harbour Centres and other public harbours around our coast attracting 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”.
Table 1- Fishery Harbour & Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme 2018
|
Table 1. 2018 Capital Programme |
||
|
Location |
Project Description |
Cost €m |
|
Howth:-
|
Construction of additional berthing face to middle pier and dredging along pier face. East Pier Upgrade(phase 1) Claremount Storage Units Design and Preliminary Construction of Workshop Dredge permitting and preparation etc. Upgrading Works to Syncrolift and Electrics Safety and Maintenance Contractual Commitments Disability Access |
0.90
0.10 0.40 0.40 0.10 0.20 0.50 0.27 0.02 |
|
|
Total |
2.89 |
|
Dunmore East:-
|
Road and Breakwater works Safety and Maintenance Contractual Commitments Disability Access |
0.50 0.58 1.30 0.02 |
|
|
Total |
2.40 |
|
Castletownbere:-
|
Dinish Island pier extension Safety and Maintenance Contractual Commitments Disability Access |
7.00 0.30 1.52 0.02 |
|
|
Total |
8.84 |
|
Dingle:-
|
Upgrade of Harbour Marine Facilities Building Safety and Maintenance Contractual Commitments Disability Access |
0.30 0.31 1.65 0.02 |
|
|
Total |
2.28 |
|
Ros an Mhíl:- |
Small Craft Harbour Welfare Building New Slipway Deep Water Quay preparation Safety and Maintenance Contractual Commitments Disability Access |
0.50 0.40 0.10 0.20 0.17 0.02 |
| Total | 1.39 | |
|
Killybegs:- |
Smooth point phase 2 Landing Pier Electrical Upgrade Safety and Maintenance Contractual Commitments Disability Access |
1.40 1.00 0.48 5.08 0.02 |
| Total | 7.98 | |
| Total FHC’s | 25.78 | |
| Cape Clear |
Safety and Maintenance Contractual Commitments Disability Access |
0.05 0.01 0.01 |
| Total | 0.07 | |
| Local Authority | Local Authority Programme |
2.00 |
| PLBs | Safety and Maintenance |
0.05 |
| Total | Total 2018 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme |
27.9 |