Jim O'Keeffe
Ceist:32 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Marine the number of jobs (a) created and (b) lost in the fish processing industry from 1 January 1991; and whether he has any new proposals to encourage job creation in this sector.
Written Answers. - Fish Processing Industry.
A Community support framework — CSF — for fish processing and marketing in Ireland was agreed between the EC Commission and my Department earlier this year. This CSF sets out priorities for the development of fish processing over the period 1991-93 and puts particular emphasis on the better utilisation of available raw materials especially in the pelagic sector.
Under the CSF an operational programme was submitted to the EC Commission last July. This provided for total investment of £6.7 million approximately in nine projects and envisages EC aid of over £3 million. It is anticipated that the projects will provide 148 new jobs over the next two years. Commission approval of this programme is expected over the next week or two.
A second operational programme involving Community aid of well over £3 million is being prepared in respect of 1992. While precise details are not yet available it is expected that this programme will contribute to significant job creation in the sector in 1992-93.
It is estimated by BIM that in the fish processing sector to date this year 180 jobs were created and 115 jobs were lost. Most of the new jobs have been generated in the whitefish processing and salmon smoking areas. The bulk of the job losses can be attributed to difficulties experienced by a firm involved in herring processing which led to the loss in the short term of 80 jobs.