Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2022
933. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will announce a support scheme for the aquaculture industry, using funds available from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund; the measures that can be expected to be included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32563/22]
View answerThe Report of the Seafood Task Force - Navigating Change (October 2021) recommends that funding under both the Brexit Adjustment Reserve and my Department's forthcoming Seafood Development Programme under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund be utilised, as appropriate, to develop Irish aquaculture to mitigate against the negative impacts of Brexit that have been most pronounced in the Irish seafood industry. The Report recommends that graduated grant aid rates should apply so that categories of activity that will be most impactful would be incentivised, with total grant aid support of €60 million being made available for investment. The Reports states that this would stimulate the modernisation of production sites in line with international best practice, increase resource efficiency and reduce environmental impact, advance understanding of market opportunities and innovation capability and develop technical, marketing and management capability.
I am proposing to implement a capital investment support scheme initially with funding under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve in 2022 and 2023, and to implement broader supports for the aquaculture sector through the EMFAF Seafood Development Programme.
The scheme under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve requires State Aid clearance from the European Commission before it may be opened for applications. My Department has submitted the necessary State Aid Notification and a decision from the Commission is awaited. BIM stands ready to implement the scheme without delay once a decision is received.
