(Cavan-Monaghan): With the permission of the Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions 40 and 50 together.
Following consultations with fishermen's representatives, the Government have already introduced a temporary scheme for fishermen involving expenditure not exceeding £1.6 million.
The scheme involves interest subvention measures on boat loans for all of 1981, costing approximately £1.2 million, together with an increase in the excise duty rebate on fuel oil of a further 5p per gallon applicable from 1 June to the end of this year, costing approximately £400,000. In addition fishermen will continue to have access to EEC funding towards the building and modernisation of fishing vessels and the EEC intervention arrangements in support of fish prices.
On the question of adequate protection mechanisms against low cost imports from non-EEC countries, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a revised EEC framework regulation governing the common organisation of the market in fishery products was agreed at the Fisheries Council on 29-30 September last. The new regulation, which will be brought into force at the earliest possible date, includes provisions which generally tighten up on the control of low cost third country imports. The adjustments to the existing imports regime will enable the Commission to intervene quickly and effectively in the event of such imports disturbing the balance of the Community market. In particular, the new regulation will strengthen the reference price system, establish definite criteria for assessing market disturbance and terminate certain permanent duty suspensions existing under the present regulation which was adopted prior to Ireland's accession to the EEC.
At the instigation of Ireland and the United Kingdom Government, the EEC Commission took action last August by adopting a regulation prohibiting the release for free circulation in both countries of frozen fillets of code which failed to comply with the official EEC reference price. Imports of this product at low prices had been causing disturbances on the United Kingdom market in particular and the prohibition will remain in force until 30 November 1981, when it will be subject to review.
In the future my Department will continue to oppose requests for new or continued duty suspensions in respect of fishery products which could adversely affect our domestic production. In addition, in the context of the forthcoming fishery prices review for the 1982 marketing year, we will be pressing for substantial increases in reference prices.