The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has announced €32.7 million in funding for 110 coastal projects in Ireland. The scheme arose from a recommendation of the Seafood Taskforce which was set up in March 2021. It was set-up to look at the impacts of Brexit on the fishing sector and coastal communities. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue says that the department is administering the scheme while individual local authorities will be responsible for governance and delivery of the projects.
Thirteen local authorities across the country have been allocated funding as part of the announcement. The projects, which will cost a total of €40 million, include construction, safety, dredging, repair and maintenance works.
Donegal County Council has been allocated almost half of the total amount of funding with €15.5 million. According to the Minister this includes over €9.8 million for the construction of a breakwater at the commercial fishing port of Greencastle. Over €4.8 million will be give to projects in Cork, while Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council will get almost €3.1 million.
Minister Charlie McConalogue says it is fantastic that we received so many great applications in this first call for projects and it is truly heartening to see such eagerness to help support our coastal communities transition to living in a post-Brexit economy. “This is the largest-ever funding announcement of its kind for local authority marine infrastructure and I am confident that it will future-proof our piers and harbours right around our coast ”, the Minister concluded.