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Common Fisheries Policy Reform

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 June 2014

Thursday, 19 June 2014

Questions (14)

Martin Ferris

Question:

14. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide information on the matching funding which the Government will make available along with the €148 million from the European Union over the next six years under the Common Fisheries Policy. [26141/14]

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Written answers

The EU Regulation establishing the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund was published on 20 May 2014. Following months of intense lobbying and negotiation, I announced on 12 June 2014 that I had secured €148 million from the new Fund for the period 2014 to 2020 for the development of the Irish seafood industry and the coastal communities that depend upon it. This funding is more than double the amount that was available to Ireland during the last Common Fisheries Policy and will ensure a strong seafood industry in Ireland that can grow and expand to meet its potential up to 2020. Ireland’s EMFF allocation is to be provided through 5 discrete funding envelopes, namely €71 million for investment in the seafood industry, €32 million for data collection, €37 million for control and enforcement, €5 million for implementation of the Integrated Maritime Policy, and €1.3 million for storage aid.

The new CFP is a major overhaul of the way which fishing is carried out in EU waters, the purpose of which is to provide a framework for the long term sustainability of fish stocks and the whole industry. The EMFF Fund will provide support for our fishing fleet to meet the challenges of the new discards ban. It will support the development of the seafood processing sector, a sustainable aquaculture industry and the communities that depend on a vibrant seafood industry. The new fund will help our seafood industry to develop and maintain long term sustainability and economic strength.

My Department has been working since 2013 on developing a new Operational Programme setting out the arrangements for spending Ireland’s allocation under the Fund and has engaged with stakeholders on a number of occasions to date. Further public consultation and strategic environmental assessment will take place over summer 2014. The new Operational Programme must be submitted to the European Commission for adoption before the end of 2014.

While the co-financing rate for some measures in the EMFF Regulation is fixed, notably data collection at 80% and control and enforcement at mostly 90%, other measures are a matter of national discretion. I will be discussing this matter with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in the near future, having regard to the general budgetary situation for the coming years and we will agree what co-financing by the Exchequer is appropriate.

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