Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
986. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide the latest update on the total amount of monies drawn down and spent in the Irish fishing industry from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund; to advise how much money he expects to return to the EU unspent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14538/24]
View answerI established the Seafood Task Force to examine the impacts of the TCA on our fishing sector and coastal communities and to recommend mitigation measures.
On foot of the recommendations of the Task Force, I secured funding for a total of 16 schemes for the seafood sector which were allocated a budget of €307.96 million, funded under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve. These schemes provided support for development and restructuring to ensure Ireland has a seafood sector that is as profitable and sustainable as it possibly can be and to identify new opportunities for jobs and economic activity in coastal communities.
The table below provides details of fisheries-related BAR support schemes administered by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), their budgets and amounts paid. Additional funding of €55.3 million was made available by my Department for the Brexit Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme, which supported investment in local authority maintained piers and harbours, and funding of €1 million was also made available to Bord Bia for Inshore Marketing schemes.
|
Budget Reference Description |
Budget |
Total Paid |
|
Brexit Temporary Fleet Tie-up Scheme 2021 |
€12,500,000.00 |
€10,013,300.00 |
|
Brexit Temporary Fleet Tie-up Scheme 2022 |
€24,000,000.00 |
€18,876,100.00 |
|
Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme |
€25,000,000.00 |
€13,441,782.69 |
|
Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme 2023 |
€3,500,000.00 |
€2,437,000.00 |
|
Brexit Off-Register Capacity Buy-Out Scheme |
€2,800,000.00 |
€2,580,057.25 |
|
Brexit Pelagic Fisheries Support Scheme |
€25,600,000.00 |
€24,940,105.00 |
|
Brexit Fish Processor Transition Scheme |
€7,000,000.00 |
€6,990,962.16 |
|
Brexit Processing Capital Support Scheme |
€45,000,000.00 |
€30,431,881.68 |
|
Brexit Specific Scallop Fleet Support Scheme |
€560,000.00 |
€552,000.00 |
|
Brexit Voluntary Permanent Cessation Scheme |
€80,000,000.00 |
€59,312,818.00 |
|
Brexit Fisheries Co-operatives Transition Scheme 2022 and 2023 |
€2,000,000.00 |
€1,709,662.68 |
|
Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme 2022 |
€3,700,000.00 |
€2,664,600.00 |
|
Brexit Sustainable Aquaculture Growth Scheme |
€20,000,000.00 |
€4,309,979.72 |
|
Totals |
€251,660,000.00 |
€178,260,249.18 |
The Department of Public Expenditure, National Plan Delivery and Reform (DPENDR) has overall responsibility for oversight of BAR funding, and will be preparing and submitting Ireland's claim to the European Commission for the draw down of funding under BAR. My Department is providing the necessary support to DPENDR in relation to the preparation of Ireland’s BAR claim, which must be submitted in September 2024. Questions in relation to the process for drawing down BAR funding should be addressed to my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Plan Delivery and Reform.
