Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 July 2008
85 Deputy Enda Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the discussions he has had with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government with a view to resolving outstanding difficulties surrounding EU approval of the Operational Programme for Fisheries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25661/08]
View answerThe National Strategic Plan for the Irish fisheries sector 2007-2013 was prepared and approved by the Minister on the 26th November 2007, it was subsequently submitted to the Commission on the 28th November 2007. The National Strategic Plan sets down a programme of support for fisheries in line with the Seafood Sector Review Group report, Steering a New Course — strategy for a restructured, sustainable and profitable Irish seafood industry 2007-13 (the Cawley report), which was launched by the Taoiseach on 28 January 2007. The funding provisions for the strategy were set down in the National Development Plan (2007-2013).
My Department and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) drew up an Operational Programme for Fisheries for Ireland to implement the policies and priorities to be co-financed by the European Fisheries Fund (EFF).
This Operational Programme submitted to the Commission on the on the 6th March 2008 envisages the use of EU funds under the EFF to support decommissioning of fishing vessels, aquaculture development and environmental/inshore fisheries support, this only forms part of the commitment to support the sector as set down in the NDP.
As part of the normal consultative process for approval, the Commission adopts a negotiating position where it sets out in their observations and recommendations with regard to improving the OP. This negotiating position was received on the 22nd of April 2008, officials from my Department met the Commission (DG Mare, DG Regio and DG Environment) on 24 April as part of the formal process in the consideration of Ireland's O.P.
The issues raised by the Commission were mainly procedural and/or editorial in nature. The Commission expressed disappointment at the exclusion of measures under the Axis 4 pillar of the European Fisheries Fund "sustainable development of fisheries areas". At a meeting between the Commission and officials of my Department on the 24 April, the Commission acknowledged Ireland's commitment to implement these measures under national state aided measures as outlined in the National Strategic Plan for Fisheries 2007-2013. However, the Commission continued to press for it's inclusion under the operational programme.
The Commission also expressed concerns in relation to Ireland's implementation of certain EU Directives on the Environment in the context of providing EU funding under the OP for aquaculture development. The Directives identified are the Birds Directive, the Habitats Directive, the Shellfish Waters Directive and the Dangerous Substances Directive. The linkage made by DG Environment between the implementation of these Directives and support for the development of aquaculture in Ireland is, in our view, disproportionate as the issues arising in respect of the Directives are significant, complex and challenging. I do not consider that the Fisheries Operational Programme is an appropriate vehicle for addressing the issues related to the implementation of these Directives in Ireland. Nevertheless, my officials are working closely with their colleagues in the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government to address issues related to these Directives in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
My priority at this time is to secure the agreement of the EU Commission for the Fisheries Operational Programme and in that context, I am currently reviewing the options available, including taking aquaculture development out of the Operational Programme and supporting the industry as national measures. This option would not negatively impact on the development of the aquaculture sector.
