Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 16 Jun 1994

Vol. 443 No. 9

Written Answers. - Compensation for Fishermen.

Enda Kenny

Question:

39 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for the Marine the number of applicants to date for compensation under the £5 million aid plan; and his views on whether the clause which stipulates that applicants must show financial losses in 1994 compared to the preceding two years will result in a reduced number of applicants for aid.

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Andrews)

To date the total number of applications under the aid scheme received by BIM from boat owners amounts to 356. Some 500 applications in respect of individual crew members have also been received. In addition, 123 claims have been received in respect of lost or damaged gear.

In dealing with the second part of the Deputy's question, I consider it important to emphasise that the scheme was introduced specifically to alleviate the hardship suffered by fishermen who were unable to carry out their normal winter fishing activities because of the exceptionally harsh weather conditions at sea last winter. For this reason, in assessing hardship, the two previous winters are been taken as bench marks against which fishermen's performances last winter can be judged. Where it is shown that fishermen's activities were curtailed because of bad weather the applicants concerned will be eligible for aid provided they meet the scheme's other criteria.

It should be stressed, of course, that there can be no question of applicants whose fishing activities last winter were similar to or greater than previous winters being approved hardship aid.