€5million funding boost for Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre

Killybegs has been handed a major €5million boost.

The Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre has been granted €5,045,000 of funding, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has confirmed.

The Donegal facility is one of Ireland’s six state-owned fish harbour centres that are to receive a total investment of €29.7 million for capital projects in 2024 and this latest allocation brings the total amount of investment in Killybegs since 2020 to €32.5 million.

The funding announced includes: Smooth Point Pier Extension, €3,250,000; Southern Quay Extension, €70,000; Energy Saving Measures, €80,000; Water Control Measures, €75,000; Passenger Embarkation Pontoon, €260,000; Smooth Point Dolphins and Power Units (Design), €100,000; Syncrolift Dredging, €350,000; Small Craft Harbour Service Building, €825,000; Provision of Harbour Master and Workshop Stores, €35,000. 

The Fishery Harbour Centres accommodate diverse marine commercial businesses, 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 €116 million, including €41.5 million 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.

Minister McConalogue said: “Killybegs Harbour is Ireland’s premier fishing port and this significant investment is a major vote of confidence in the facility. €3,250,000 of the allocation will go to the Smooth Point Pier Extension.

“This project is due for completion over the coming months and will create great opportunities for the fishing industry. The development of Killybegs Fishery Harbour was a priority for me when I became minister in 2020.

“This latest investment in the state-of-the-art facilities at Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre underpins this Government’s commitment to its development, and I have no doubt this funding will also help enhance the local economy.

“Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre is a crucial piece of infrastructure for our seafood industry. The continuous development of Killybegs is critical to the fishing fleet and the land-based seafood processing industry. My focus remains on delivering strong sustainable livelihoods for local fishers and food producers who are the bedrock of the sector. I’m glad to have delivered over €32 million of funding for Killybegs since 2020.”

The Minister said that a key objective now for the seafood sector ‘ is to continue on a path of sustainable economic and environmental development by carefully managing the utilisation of osea fisherieses and aquaculture’.

He said: “The €29.7 million being expended this year will progress major infrastructure delivery and underpin climate resilience and the further development of Ireland’s Blue Economy.”