11 January 2016
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney T.D., has announced details of an €18m Capital Investment Package in 2016 for the development of Ireland’s fishery harbour network.
It includes €2.13m for Castletownbere, and €400,000 for Cape Clear.
Minister Simon Coveney is based in Carrigaline, Co Cork
Announcing the investment package, the Minister said
“In total I am allocating €18m for this year’s Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Capital Programme. I have set aside €16m towards safety, maintenance and new development works at the six Fishery Harbour Centres at Howth, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, Dingle, Rossaveel and Killybegs. I am also making €2m available for a Local Authority Harbour Programme, and I am assessing specifically what is required to address storm damage at Local Authority owned fishery harbours.”
The 2016 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Capital Programme outlined by the Minister also contains funding of €2m to assist coastal Local Authorities repair, maintain and develop piers, harbours and slipways under their ownership. The Minister stated
“I am delighted to continue to support Local Authorities in their efforts to maintain and develop the fishery harbour network which provides much needed facilities for our rural fishing and marine focussed communities. A number of smaller fishing piers around the coast experienced some damage during the recent storms and we are currently assessing how best to assist Local Authorities in carrying out repairs”
Concluding on the 2016 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Capital Programme, the Minister said
“This year’s programme is significant on a number of fronts, firstly it provides for the continuation of this Governments strategy to develop and improve the facilities at our fishery harbours in 2016. Secondly it prepares the groundwork for potential projects in the coming years all of which will benefit the fishing industry, seafood processing sector, other ancillary marine industries.”
