Minister McConalogue announces award of contract for Smooth Point Extension Completion Works at Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre, Co. Donegal

Today, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, announced the award of a €10.5 million (excluding VAT) capital works contract to complete a 120 metre long quay development and associated works at Smooth Point, Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre, Co. Donegal.

Welcoming the award of the contract to contractor Sorensen Civil Engineering Ltd., the Minister said: "Killybegs Harbour is Ireland's premier fishing port and as such can be exceptionally busy. This project will see the long-waited completion of 120 metres of additional quay space in the harbour and, as a result will alleviate congestion during the peak fishing season at this major port."

This final phase involves the removal of the remaining uncontaminated sediments and construction of the additional 120m quay wall and was the subject of a public tendering process. It is expected that works will commence in a matter of weeks and that the project will be substantially completed within 7 months.

The Minister concluded that:

"The Irish seafood industry faces ongoing challenges, such as the significant challenge of Brexit. The completion of this project at Killybegs contributes to 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."

Notes

• Photographs of Smooth Point Quay attached below
• Since 2010 overall landings into Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre have increased by 41.8% in volume from 163,447 tonnes to 231,774 tonnes in 2020, and increased by 79.2% in value from €61.9m to €110.9m in the same ten year period
• This contract follows the Minister's announcement in February regarding the allocation of €35m for capital projects in 2022 in Ireland's six state-owned Fishery Harbour Centres at Killybegs, Ros an Mhíl, An Daingean, Castletownbere, Dunmore East and Howth through the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/3030f-minister-mcconalogue-to-invest-35-million-during-2022-in-irelands-six-fishery-harbour-centres/
• The Fishery Harbour Centres and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme delivers on Action 145 in the Programme for Government to "Invest strategically in harbour infrastructure to attract increased landings into Ireland of sustainably caught fish in our waters, driving the development of the seafood processing sector and the blue economy in coastal communities."