Written Answers. - Investment in Irish Fishing Fleet.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
88
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for the Marine
if the Irish fishing fleet has access to the necessary capital for development purposes, with particular reference to enabling the industry to compete in the European arena; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Pat Cox
Question:
91
Mr. Cox
asked the
Minister for the Marine
his Department's allocation in the National Development Plan 1994-1999 for modernisation and restructuring of the fleet.
P. J. Sheehan
Question:
96
Mr. Sheehan
asked the
Minister for the Marine
the amount of finance that will be allocated to the development and restructuring of the Irish Fishing Fleet under the National Development Plan 1994-1999.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 91 and 96 together.
A total investment of £137 million will be made in the fisheries sector over the period of the National Development Plan. This investment will underpin an integrated programme of development in the fisheries sector, which covers the following areas:
—the fishing fleet
—fish processing and marketing
—aquaculture
—fishery harbours and
—training.
The details of the development programme and, in particular, the allocations of funding between the various areas, the eligibility criteria for the measures and the procedures for applying for grant-aid have not yet been finalised. These details will be part of the detailed Operational Programme for the Fisheries sector, which is currently in preparation.
As regards the appeals mechanism mentioned by the Deputy, while, as I said, the detailed procedures have not yet been worked out, I can assure the Deputy that the development programme will be monitored and overseen by a Monitoring Committee on which will sit representatives of the European Community, the Irish administration and sectoral interests.
As regards the fishing fleet in particular, the main aim of the proposed investment is to modernise and restructure the fleet so as to take up unused fishing quotas, increase catches of non-quota species and bring the fleet into better balance with available resources. As a consequence of the investment, the fleet will be better able to compete with the fleets of other member states operating around the Irish coast.
