Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 February 2022
458. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of island communities in relation to funding under the Operational Programme of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund; the reason a specific line for island fisheries was not included given they are recognised by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10525/22]
View answerMy Department's European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Programme 2014-20 has been in place since 2015 and is nearing its end, with almost all funds committed. I am assuming instead that the Deputy is meaning to refer to the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund 2021-2027 (EMFAF), the successor to the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014-2020 (EMFF), for which the new establishing regulation was enacted on 7 July 2021.
Ireland's Seafood Development Programme under the new EMFAF is being developed by my Department at present and I expect to submit it to the Commission later this year for its adoption. Work is progressing well, informed by a number of engagements with stakeholders to date. There will be a final public consultation on the draft Programme and SEA Environmental Report in the second half of this year, and stakeholders for island communities will have the opportunity to further input their views on the Programme's content and priorities for funding.
The content and structure of the new Programme is being developed in accordance with the specific requirements of the EMFAF Regulation and also the Common Provisions Regulation (2021/1060) which specifies requirements for each of the EU Funds. I note that the only reference to islands in the Regulation is in the context of Priority 3 of the EMFAF Regulation, which provides that the Programme shall, in the context of community led local development, pursue an objective of 'enabling a sustainable blue economy in coastal, island and inland areas'.
