Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 December 2018
524. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if applications can be made by a business to the eel fisherpersons support scheme in cases (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53212/18]
View answerFollowing consultation with the European Commission and advice from the Revenue Commissioners, a Support Fund has been established by the Government to provide a restitution payment to address the hardship experienced by former eel fishermen and women in the light of the closure of the commercial eel fishery for conservation reasons in 2009. The fund is administered by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI).
The Support Scheme fund is available to all persons who were the holder of a commercial public eel licence or an eel fishing permit from the ESB in the 2007 season (the base year). The 5 reckonable years for payments under the scheme are 2003-2007. This requires that an application is made by the former holder of the licence or permit.
Licences and permits were applied for and issued annually and did not confer property or other rights on the annual holder. It is a condition of the support fund that an application for an eel fishing licence or permit will not be made by the applicants in the future.
The fishery and the internal market for eels has been closed since 2009 under the National Eel Management Plan, established on foot of EU Regulation 1100/2007, therefore no licence or permit has been issued in respect of eel fishing during that time. In these circumstances the question of continuing the activity does not arise.
I appreciate the circumstances outlined by the Deputy and I would advise that there is an appeals mechanism for the scheme available to any potential applicant. In that regard appeals may be made in writing to the Eel Support Scheme, Appeals Officer, Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Elm House, Earlsvale Rd, Cavan H12A8H7.
