€29.7M INVESTMENT IN IRISH FISHERY HARBOURS

€29.7m investment in Irish fishery harbours

Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D, has announced the allocation of almost €29.7m for capital projects in 2024 in Ireland’s six state-owned Fishery Harbour Centres at Killybegs, Ros an Mhíl, An Daingean, Castletownbere, Dunmore East and Howth. An element of the investment also goes to other facilities under the Department’s management.

The Minister said: “The six Fishery Harbour Centres are crucial infrastructure for our seafood industry. Approximately 87% of all fish landings into Ireland come through these facilities making them strategic economic hubs for the Seafood industry. The continuous development of the infrastructure in these Harbours is critical to the fishing fleet and the land-based seafood processing industry. My focus remains on delivering strong sustainable livelihoods for our fishers and food producers who are the bedrock of the sector.”

The importance of primary and secondary food production activities is reflected in the Government’s “Food Vision 2030 A World Leader in Sustainable Food Systems”. First class landing infrastructure, where a modern seafood industry can operate effectively and be efficiently serviced is key to ensuring the maximum opportunities for primary and secondary processing of seafood in Ireland and provide for a strong Irish seafood processing industry to service our fishing fleet and others and maintain these coastal communities.

The Fishery Harbour Centres accommodate diverse marine commercial business, including commercial cargo traffic, cruise liners, restaurants and other leisure, tourism and social activities. These activities complement the critical economic activity generated by Ireland’s fishing industry and help to maintain the vitality of these coastal communities. Since 2020, the combined investment by the Government in the Department-managed facilities has been €116m, including €41.5m spent in 2023.

In 2022, approximately 87% of the sea fish landed into the State was landed into the six Fishery Harbour Centres and Bord Iascaigh Mhara valued the GDP of Ireland’s seafood industry at €1.3 billion.

The Minister added: “A key objective for the Seafood sector is to continue on a path of sustainable economic and environmental development by carefully managing the utilisation of sea-fisheries and aquaculture. The continued investment I’m announcing today underpins this Government’s commitment to the sector, and the €29.7million being expended this year will progress major infrastructure delivery and underpin climate resilience and the further development of Ireland’s Blue Economy.”

The Deep-water Quay project at Ros an Mhíl continues to be a priority project (€17m in 2024) and is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2025. The Smooth Point pier extension (€3.25m in 2024) at Killybegs will be concluded in the coming months. New investment at Castletownbere will focus on maintenance of the Mainland Quay (€575k in 2024) to be phased as an multiannual project with further investment in subsequent years.

The Programme also provides for maintenance works at Cape Clear and a small number of piers, lights and beacons around the coast in accordance with the 1902 ex-congested Districts Board Piers, Lights and Beacons Act. Additionally, the Department’s commitment to supporting the Government’s environmental and sustainability objectives is demonstrated with several important projects planned under this year’s programme including renewable energy upgrades on buildings and water metering to monitor resource consumption.

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