Ireland’s Six Fishery Harbour Centres & Small Harbours Get €28m In Funding For Capital Projects

5th February 2017

Howth’s new small fishing craft pontoon in County Dublin Credit: W M Nixon

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD, today announced details of a €28m Capital Investment Package for the ongoing development of Ireland’s Local Authority owned small harbour network. (see Table 1 below for details)
In announcing the initiative the Minister said “The €28m I am allocating for the 2017 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Capital Programme represents a significantly increased capital investment in the six Fishery Harbour Centres and other fisheries related marine infrastructure. It 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 development works, safety and maintenance at the six Fishery Harbour Centres at Howth, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, Dingle, Ros an Mhil and Killybegs. 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. The annual value of all fish landings into the six Fishery Harbour Centres increased from €136.8m to €262.3m over the period from 2010 to 2015.
The Minister said “I have set aside almost €25.5m towards development works, safety and maintenance at the six Fishery Harbour Centres which account for around 85% of all fish landed into Ireland. I have also proved €2.5m for a Local Authority Harbour Development and Marine Leisure programme to assist coastal Local Authorities in the repair and development of small scale piers, harbours and slipways under their ownership.”
Flagship projects in the 2017 Capital Programme include major quay extensions at Castletownbere, Killybegs, and Howth. Also of note is the dredging of the navigation channel in Dingle, the completion of the Small Craft Harbour in Ros an Mhíl and the West Wharf upgrade in Dunmore East.
The Minister concluded by saying “This €28m investment will build on the €64m invested in the Fishery Harbour Centres since 2010 and the €23m 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 2017

Table 1.
Location	Project Description		Cost €m
Howth:-	Construction of additional berthing face to middle pier and dredging along pier face. Gas Main Other Services (Sewers, ducting, watermains) Claremount Storage Units East Pier Repairs Syncrolift – Timber Deck Footpath Upgrade		1.50 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.17 0.05 0.15
	Total		2.32
Dunmore East:-	West wharf upgrade required due to steel corrosion and spalling of concrete. Shanoon Car Park		0.4 0.2
	Total		0.6
Castletownbere:-	Dinish island pier extension New Harbour Administration Building (shared facility) on mainland Quay. Harbour Slipway		5.0 1.2 0.3
	Total		6.5
Dingle:-	Dredging North Channel to widen the navigation channel to the port and provide better access. Upgrade of Harbour Marine Facilities Building		4.0 0.2
	Total		4.2
Ros an Mhíl:-		Small Craft Harbour final Phase (furniture fit out and services).		0.8
		Total		0.8
Killybegs:-		Smooth point pier extension and permitting. Harbour Electrics Upgrade Small Craft Harbour final completion.		5.0 0.5 0.7
		Total		6.2
Total Fishery Harbour Centres( new developments)				20.62
Cape Clear		Complete development works incl painting stoplogs, install pontoons, finish road works.		0.1
Safety and Maintenance and Non-Discretionary and Contractual Capital Commitments (incl Disability Access)				4.69
Total Local Authority Harbour Development and Marine Leisure Programme				2.50
Total 2017 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Capital Programme				27.91

Published in Coastal Notes

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