Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 May 2021
186. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce a voluntary decommissioning scheme for fishing vessels and their owners who wish to leave the fishing sector of their own will; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26847/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, I established the Seafood Sector Taskforce to examine the implications of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the UK for our fishing sector and the coastal communities that are dependent on it. The Taskforce will recommend initiatives that could be taken to provide supports for development and restructuring so as to ensure a profitable and sustainable fishing fleet and to identify opportunities for jobs and economic activity in coastal communities dependent on fishing.
The Taskforce may consider a possible decommissioning scheme in that context and may, in due course, recommend such a scheme, but their report is not anticipated for some time yet.
