Published on Saturday4thAugust2018

€23.5m Investment for a major quay extension in Castletownbere

20180804 Castletownbere

Pictured are Noel Clancy, Chief Engineer, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed and Louis Keating, Director L & M Keating Ltd.

Agriculture Minister Michael Creed attended the signing of a contract for a €23.5 million, 216m long quay development project and associated works on Dinish Island, Castletownbere.

Welcoming the signing of the contract with contractor L&M Keating Ltd, the Minister said:

This is a very significant investment for the South West and will be a big boost to the Beara Peninsula and West Cork in general. The Project will double the workable quay space on Dinish Island in Castletownbere and will enable significant expansion in fish landings, on shore processing and general marine activity at this major port.

Government Policy is to substantially increase the landings into Ireland from all vessels that fish in the waters around Ireland. We want to see Ireland become the hub for all the marine activities that can be generated by the sustainable harvesting of these renewable resources in our marine sphere. Developing our Fishery Harbour Centres, such as Castletownbere, to facilitate our industry and be able to attract and handle these landings is a key step in achieving our ambitions in this area, in line with the Governments integrated marine development strategy “Harnessing our Ocean Wealth.

The project has been proposed for part funding under Ireland’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme, co-funded the Government of Ireland and the European Union.

Minister Creed concluded:

The Irish seafood industry faces on going challenges, such as the significant challenge of Brexit. By providing world class landing facilities for our industry and for the many other EU vessels that we wish to operate out of Ireland, we are protecting our coastal communities and creating the opportunity for the seafood industry to continue to grow, prosper and facilitate a simultaneous growth of other ancillary marine industries.