Donegal fishermen have welcomed the Government's commitment to spend €50 million on developing Killybegs harbour, following yesterday's signing of the contract by the Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey.
The Minister also opened a new slipway in the harbour which will be used by the Irish Coast Guard and by small boats and sea angling vessels.
The 60-metre slipway was built to facilitate a new rescue craft for the Killybegs unit of the Coast Guard.
The funding commitment brings to just over €138 million the amount of money promised to the fishing industry this week by the Minister, largely through EU-supported National Development Plan (NDP) initiatives.
Last week, he also unveiled plans for a €30 million headquarters for the Marine Institute in Galway.
Mr Sean O'Donoghue, chief executive of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation (KFO), said his members had lobbied "long and hard" over a number of years for finance to develop the harbour, which is home to the multi-million euro mackerel fleet, as well as a number of whitefish vessels.
Landings at Killybegs, the leading port, are currently worth €40 million annually, and some 2,600 people depend on fishing for their livelihood at sea and ashore.
The development will involve providing 450 metres of additional berthage, and reclaiming 27 acres of foreshore.
Work is due to begin immediately and the target date for completion is 2004.
The additional berthage would "relieve the major congestion" experienced in the harbour, and would allow the vessels to land their catch efficiently - ensuring a top quality product, Mr O'Donoghue said.
The KFO was very confident the harbour development would have a "major positive effect on the economy of south Donegal", he said.
The Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation is due to meet today to discuss the EU agreement for the 144-metre supertrawler, Atlantic Dawn, which involves a limited entitlement to fish within EU waters.
The supertrawler, owned by Mr Kevin McHugh of Killybegs, is currently fishing off west Africa and was built for an international fishery.