asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the efforts he and his Department have made to inform the Irish Fisherman's Organisation of his proposals for a rescue package; if he has at any time refused to meet or discuss these proposals with Mr. Frank Doyle, the Secretary General of the IFO or any other member of the IFO; the attempts which have been made by the IFO to get such information from him, his Department or An Bord Iascaigh Mhara.
Written Answers. - Rescue Package for Fishermen.
591.
The IFO were invited to and were present at the press conference at which I announced details of the rescue package for fishermen. No request for a meeting to discuss the rescue package as announced was received from the IFO and the question of refusal does not therefore arise.
Subsequent to the press conference referred to, my Department received requests from the IFO for clarification of certain detailed criteria and conditions governing eligibility for the loan repayment relief aspect of the package. These have taken some time to finalise but are now available for circulation. However, since the package was announced, BIM has been in touch with individual fishermen in relation to the likely effects of the rescue package on their accounts.