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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 25 Mar 1997

Vol. 476 No. 7

Written Answers. - Community Support Framework.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

428 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Marine if there are elements of positive discrimination exercised by his Department towards particular areas in view of the fact that areas of rural Ireland contribute substantially to our current Objective One status; the form that any such positive discrimination takes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8044/97]

EU Structural Funds are designed to support the Community aim of strengthening economic and social cohesion and reducing disparities between the various regions. For the purposes of the current Community Support Framework, Ireland is classified as an Objective One region.

As the fisheries industry is concentrated in rural communities around the coast grant-aid for investment in this sector is focused on activities in coastal regions. The Operational Programme for Fisheries 1994-99 is currently providing for a total investment of £140 million in the fishing industry throughout the coastal regions. The programme provides grant-aid towards fleet renewal, aquaculture development, fish processing and associated activities. In addition, the PESCA Initiative which provides for investment of some £10 million is an EU-funded programme which aims to assist fishermen and those dependent on fisheries to respond to the structural changes in the fisheries sector by offering opportunities for diversification into other areas of economic activity.

In recognition of the importance of our inland fisheries resource, a comprehensive investment programme to develop the tourism angling product totalling almost £19 million over the six year period 1994-99 was included in the Tourism Operational Programme. The purpose of the tourism angling measure is to ensure that our coarse, game and sea angling is upgraded to the best international standards with a view to increasing substantially tourist angling and revenue and the creation of valuable sustainable new jobs, particularly in the more remote and disadvantaged areas where the majority of our prime fisheries are located. The Central Fisheries Board and my Department are charged with the responsibility for the administration and implementation of the Tourism Angling Measure.

My Department and the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland are the responsible authorities for administering the fisheries measures in the Joint INTERREG Programme for Northern Ireland and Ireland 1994-99 and the Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland 1995-99. Only projects located to the six Border counties of this State and-or Northern Ireland are eligible to benefit from these two programmes.

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