Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 May 2022
256. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the €25 million that was announced in March 2022 (details supplied) is not used for all fishery groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22393/22]
View answerI established a Seafood Sector Task Force in March 2021 to examine the impacts on our fishing sector and coastal communities of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom and to make recommendations to me on 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.
I received the Report of the Seafood Task Force – Navigating Change on 11th October 2021 which recommended a suite of 16 support schemes at a total cost of €423 million. On 25th March 2022 I announced the implementation of a Brexit Blue economy Enterprise Development Scheme which aims to assist coastal communities to overcome the impacts of Brexit and grow and diversify their local economies by promoting the growth of the wider Blue Economy. It is being funded by an allocation of €25 million under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve for the years 2022 and 2023. At its launch, I signalled that this funding was intended to help to stimulate entrepreneurial activity in the blue economy and provide a post-Brexit stimulus to the economies of our coastal communities. BIM expect to invite applications in the coming weeks.
The focus of this scheme on community-led local development is just one strand of the Government's overall response to the challenges facing our seafood industry and our coastal communities on foot of Brexit. The Deputy will be aware of other schemes launched in recent months such as the Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme launched in January and the Brexit Inshore Marketing Scheme also announced on 25th March last which target other challenges identified by the Task Force.
The remaining recommendations of the Task Force are being urgently examined across Government with regard to available funds, eligibility of the recommended measures for funding under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve and with regard to State Aid rules and the Public Spending Code. I hope to be in a position to make further announcements in the coming weeks.
