Vol. 476 No. 4
4 Mr. Browne (Wexford) asked the Minister for the Marine the discussions, if any, he has had to date with the European Commission to secure a compensation package for the fishing sector which lost an estimated £9 million per week during the recent bad weather. [6870/97]
I am concerned about the impact of last month's bad weather on the fleet but do not consider a compensation package is warranted at this time for the reasons outlined in an earlier reply. I have to question the basis for the Deputy's calculations that £9 million per week was lost. Landing statistics show that in the past three years the average monthly value of national landings of fish in February amounted to more than£8 million. Estimated value of landings for last month was £4.2 million.
(Wexford): It is strange the Minister has questioned the figure of£9 million which was supplied by fishing industry representatives who state that up to 6,000 fishermen have been either laid off or are on a short working week because of the bad weather. Within the European Union, farmers, fruit growers and domestic dwellers have received compensation following spells of bad weather. There is, however, no mechanism of which fishermen who are most affected by bad weather can avail. When President of the Council of Fisheries Ministers, did the Minister try to secure funding for this purpose and will he agree there is a need to put a mechanism in place which will trigger automatically in times of bad weather? Fishermen lost a substantial amount of money in February.
The statistics show that in the past three years the average monthly value of national landings of fish in February amounted to more than £8 million. The estimated value of landings for last month was £4.2 million. We are, therefore, talking about a figure of £3.8 million, not £9 million.
(Wexford): It is still a lot of money.
I am sympathetic to fishermen who do a difficult job in all weather conditions. During the Irish Presidency I did not seek the introduction of a compensation package for fishermen which would trigger in times of bad weather. When one considers the definition of "bad weather" the issue does not arise. In order to make a special case we would have to show we suffered extreme weather. If a package was to be provided it would be directly from the Exchequer. I hope weather conditions do not change again but if we run into a long period of bad weather I would be only too pleased to go to Government with a recommendation. However, we would have to get it cleared with the Commission.
(Wexford): Have successive Ministers for the Marine lacked the political clout within the EU to secure compensation for fishermen? The farming lobby does not seem to have any difficulty obtaining compensation for bad weather through the Minister of the day and its powerful lobby in Europe, not that I have a problem with that. Do fishermen's organisations not have a powerful lobby at EU level or are they not strong enough?
I would not underestimate the strength of the fishermen's lobby, it is an excellent group and as Minister I am aware of its pressure and power. In saying that February was not a particularly stormy month I mean that the winter as a whole was not exceptionally harsh. The Deputy is seeking a package for extreme weather conditions but one has to look at conditions over a period. Admittedly there were stormy conditions in February but this winter as a whole has not been exceptional enough to make a special case. In drawing up guidelines for a package one would have to base it on a winter period as distinct from one month and the weather conditions over winter have not been exceptional when compared to other years. As I said, if things change I will look at it again.
