On Friday (24 February) Marine Minster Charlie McConalogue visited the site of the new deep-water quay development under construction at the State-owned Fishery Harbour Centre in Ros an Mhíl, Co Galway.
As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the new development will be accessible to large vessels such as Naval Service vessels, Marine Institute research vessels, marine survey vessels and marine leisure craft alongside the fishing fleet.
The project is being funded through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme.
Welcoming the commencement of the works, the minister said: “In this case, we are ‘making ground’ rather than breaking it, to add 200 metres of quayside to this facility so we can accommodate larger fishing vessels and attract additional landings from both Irish and non-Irish fishing vessels.”
In 2021, almost 90% of all fish landed into Ireland was into the six State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres. At Ros an Mhíl, these landings were valued at around €15.9 million.
This primary production is critical to supplying the downstream indigenous seafood processing and export industries and in sustaining the livelihoods of coastal communities, the department days, adding that the importance of these primary and secondary food production activities are reflected in the government’s Food Vision 2030 policy.
Minister McConalogue said: “This critical infrastructure further demonstrates the importance this government places on safeguarding the future of our fisheries dependent coastal communities. By providing a first-class landing infrastructure, we are ensuring the seafood industry can operate effectively and be efficiently serviced in this region.“”
The deep-water quay is a flagship project under the department’s 2023 Capital Programme. The appointed contractor, Ward & Burke Construction Limited, commenced works on site at the end of January and it is expected that the project will be completed by December 2024.
The Minister concluded by saying: “With this investment, this government is recognising Ros an Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre as an economic hub with potential for downstream development and job creation in this region.
“It is fitting that a local company, Ward and Burke Construction Ltd, is undertaking the works and I have every confidence that other local businesses will seize the opportunities provided by this development in time.”