The Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs will discuss capital and infrastructure issues for fishing ports and harbours with stakeholders on Tuesday (Oct 21).
The meeting at 11am in Committee Room 2 of Leinster House will be split into two sessions to hear from representatives from:
- 11am – Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Seafood Ireland Alliance, Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation and National Inshore Fishermen's Association;
- 12:20pm – The County and City Management Association (CCMA) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
Committee Cathaoirleach Conor McGuinness said: “I am delighted that the Committee has agreed to focus on an issue I have been trying to highlight since its formation this year. I am worried about the lack of regional infrastructure investment, especially in ports and harbours managed by local authorities, like Cé Heilbhic (Helvick) in Co Waterford, where fishermen and the RNLI lifeboat are often left stranded due to silting.
“Between them, the department and local authorities operate 20 fishing ports and harbours around the country, with DAFM responsible for the six large fishery harbour centres and councils managing the 14 smaller harbours. Budget 2026 includes €157.7 million to support the Fisheries Sector, with capital infrastructure projects in Fishery Harbour Centres identified as a priority target for this funding.”
“Key issues for the committee to examine with our stakeholders include the prioritisation of infrastructure and capital developments for the operators and user organisations, the relationships between management and users at the harbours, the relative priority given to funding of the six largest state harbours versus that given to the smaller regional harbours, and the future strategy of the RNLI based at our harbours and the requirements needed to deliver on it,”he said.
“The committee looks forward to discussing these issues and related matters with our stakeholders.”
The Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs meeting in Committee Room 2 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
