Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 5 May 1994

Vol. 442 No. 4

Written Answers. - Sectoral Plan for Fishing Industry.

Peadar Clohessy

Ceist:

41 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for the Marine the Government's response to EC Regulation 3699/93; if he will give details of the Government's sectoral plan for the fishing industry; and if the Government response was submitted to Brussels without consultation with the industry.

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Andrews)

Regulation 3699/93 lays down criteria and arrangements with regard to European Community structural assistance towards the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

In line with Article 3 of the Regulation, Ireland is required to present to the Commission a sectoral plan for the fisheries sector for the period of the national plan, 1994-99. The sectoral plan contains the detailed fisheries planning underlying the national plan.

In line with the Government's policy as set out in the national plan, the Department of the Marine has prepared a fully-integrated sectoral plan for the fishing industry, covering not only the fleet, aquaculture and fish processing and marketing, but also fisheries harbours, training and marine research. I should point out that this is the first occasion on which such a fully-integrated plan for the fisheries sector has been drawn-up.

The sectoral plan is not yet fully finalised. This notwithstanding, it has been formally lodged with the European Commission in line with the end-March deadline set. Discussions with the Commission, prior to finalisation of the plan, are currently underway.

When the plan has been finalised it will, of course, be published.

The fishing industry was consulted, through its representative organisations, during the preparation of the sectoral plan. Input by the industry and BIM was, in fact, of some considerable assistance in drawing together the plan.