Vol. 400 No. 2
49 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Marine if he is satisfied with the £1.86 million EC grant aid package for the fishing and aquaculture industries announced some months ago; if he has any proposals for a new package; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The grant aid package announced recently for the Irish fishing and aquaculture industries amounted to £2.27 million. This was in respect of:
(i) 18 boat modernisation projects — £544,778;
(ii) nine aquaculture projects — £1,576,469;
(iii) a domestic fish marketing campaign — £54,917;
(iv) aid towards the computerisation of the sea fishing vessel register — £95,145.
All eligible boat modernisation projects submitted were approved and nine of the 12 aquaculture projects submitted were also approved. No boat construction grants were approved at this tranche for any member state.
In all the circumstances I regard the outcome of the recent tranche as satisfactory.The grant aid approved will make a significant contribution towards the development of the fishing and aquaculture sectors.
The next tranche on boat construction, modernisation and aquaculture projects is scheduled to take place before the end of October this year. A further major programme has been submitted by Ireland for the purpose of this tranche.
