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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 31 Jan 1996

Vol. 460 No. 7

Written Answers - Fisheries Protection and Surveillance.

Martin Cullen

Ceist:

116 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Defence if he will give details of the recently agreed EU financial aid package for fisheries surveillance including whether this package requires matching funds or any financial contribution to be made by Ireland; if he will give a breakdown of the fund's allocation for operational and capital expenditure; the applications, if any, made in respect of this fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2104/96]

Martin Cullen

Ceist:

117 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Defence the number of additional ships, if any, the Naval Service requires for surveillance, fisheries protection and other naval duties in view of the new arrangements concerning access by Spanish fishing vessels to Irish waters; the estimated capital cost involved in acquiring these additional ships; when tenders will be sought for their supply; when these ships will be available for service; the interim plans, if any, he has to improve surveillance and fisheries protection pending delivery of additional ships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2105/96]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 117 together.

The main day to day role of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. The Naval Service currently has a total of seven vessels which are deployed in the most efficient manner on fishery protection duties. The Naval Service fishery protection patrols are complemented by assistance provided by the Air Corps in the form of aerial surveillance by the two CASA maritime patrol aircraft.

With the new arrangements on fishery control measures effective from 1 January 1996, including the entry-exist reporting system which requires prior notification by all large fishing vessels entering and leaving the Irish Box, I am committed to ensuring that the fishery surveillance function is strengthened and that sufficient resources are in place to deal effectively with any additional demands arising under the new arrangements.
Enhancement of the protection capability is planned under the new EU five year financial aid package for fisheries surveillance. The overall package was agreed at the Fisheries Council in October 1995. Under the package, Ireland will receive financial support for a significant programme of capital investment in fishery surveillance equipment and in this regard Ireland will attract a higher rate of EU aid than other member states. Additionally, in recognition of Ireland's very heavy surveillance costs, a sum of £12 million is to be made available over the period 1996 to 2000 to Ireland to fund operational needs of the protection service. Ireland is the only member state which will receive such support.
I will be putting a package of specific spending proposals for 1996 and future years to Government shortly and will commence negotiations with the Commission with the objective of securing the level of capital and operational resources identified as necessary to maximise our fishery surveillance programmes. The question of an additional ship for the Naval Service is being considered as one of these proposals.
The Commission has to decide on the 1996 programme before the end of March and at that stage I should be in a position to outline to the House the specifics involved, the make-up of the proposals, the level of support and the matching funds which Ireland will have to put up.
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