Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2023
571. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the pelagic fishing industry in Ireland will receive financial compensation for the huge loss of fish quota that they have endured under the Brexit Reserve Adjustment Fund. [35143/23]
View answerThe Seafood Task Force recommended a series of 16 mitigation measures that could be taken to provide supports for development and restructuring in order to ensure a profitable and sustainable fishing fleet and to identify opportunities for jobs and economic activity in coastal communities dependent on fishing. Recognising the volume of these recommendations, the Task Force acknowledged that the development of detailed schemes and submission for EU State aid approval could only be approached on a phased basis. To date I have announced 12 support schemes with a combined budget of €271 million, addressing time sensitive measures and those with longer implementation times as a priority.
The Task Force recommendations concerning the pelagic fleet segment have been examined and based on these recommendations a scheme has been drafted and approved at national level. The scheme has now been submitted to the European Commission for State Aid decision. The scheme can only be launched following a positive outcome from this State Aid assessment, and until this process is complete I cannot provide a specific time frame for its launch.
