I move:
That Seanad Éireann calls on the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources to implement a comprehensive national development strategy to maximise the growth and employment potential of the marine and natural resources sectors.
I welcome the Minister, Deputy Fahey, to the Seanad. This is his first occasion in the House as a Minister and I congratulate him on his appoint ment as Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources. I thank him for the efficient and quick manner in which he has visited the coastal ports to meet those involved in the marine and fisheries industries. I am amazed at his grasp of the portfolio after only a few short weeks. The Minister is aware that there are many problems in the fishing industry.
The way forward for our marine and natural resources is charted in the national development plan. The proposed Government expenditure of £938 million in the period 2000-06 underpins its commitment to our most natural indigenous asset and, with further investment of £317 million, total expenditure on this sector will reach £1.2 billion.
The development of these sectors is vital for many coastal and rural communities which have nothing other than farming and tourism to sustain them. Given the disastrous situation in farming over the last two years, there is now nothing but tourism to sustain many areas along the west coast. I hope, therefore, the Government's huge investment in this sector will help to redress the deficiencies that have developed over the years and provide an alternative source of revenue for many coastal communities.
The investment will ensure the benefits of economic prosperity in all regions. The programme provides funding for infrastructural development, value added, marketing and research. A wide range of resources are included, such as sea angling, aquaculture, fishery harbours, seaports, angling, marine tourism and leisure and forestry.
The development of our vast natural resource is one of our greatest challenges. The marine and natural resources elements of the national development plan are designed to deliver sustainable growth, competitiveness and jobs, regional, rural and coastal development and environmental and economic infrastructure. The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness also sets down many objectives in this area and outlines how they can be achieved.
The main objective in which I am interested is concerned with balancing the objectives and parameters of the EU Common Fisheries Policy with the potential to develop the sector in coastal regions where there are few alternative work opportunities. I hope the targets for the fishing industry will be achieved in the review of the CFP in 2002, in which we will seek to maximise the long-standing case for a significant increase in Ireland's quota share and more effective fishery management systems within the CFP framework through an effective strategic negotiating position informed by the research and conclusions of the national common fisheries policy review group and the recommendations of the NESC on fisheries policy. This is the first time I have seen recognition of the difficulties facing our fishing indus try which have arisen since the previous CFP and I am glad the Government is to address this.
The review group chaired by Padraic White has produced its first report on the sustainable future for European fisheries through technical conservation measures which will protect young sea fish. We are all agreed that there should be management and conservation of sea fish, but many Irish fishermen and processors, especially those involved in the pelagic industry, believe they alone are involved in most of these activities.
The PPF also sets out to maximise the value added potential of our fishery resource throughout the supply and demand chain by developing a first class national fish and shellfish health monitoring and research facility. It also acknowledges the significant potential of aquaculture production. In many coastal areas aquaculture has taken over completely from fishing and fish processing. With the passage of licensing legislation just over a year ago much progress has been made in this area.
Unfortunately, there are still many areas where difficulties arise with coastal zone management and the quality of the water due to the lack of sewage treatment plants in town adjacent to many bays. I have raised this issue here on many previous occasions. Many licences in my town of Dunloe have been refused because of the water quality.
The PPF also acknowledges the importance of the fish processing sector and sets out to improve and strengthen it. It proposes that it be supported to create a competitive value added capability of scale at national and international level through the development of new products, technology and scale, including building effective networks among the small and medium sized enterprises in the processing sector. It also proposes that investment support strategies for the medium to long-term be informed by a comprehensive review of the processing sector to be carried out this year.
The PPF also sets out to ensure that the inclusive management, conservation and development of our inland fisheries resource is brought to the highest standard and to realise its potential in terms of social and economic benefits to the regions, farmers and local communities. This will be done by negotiation between all stakeholders, including farmers and the regional fisheries boards. The programme also addresses the need to develop forestry to a scale and in a manner which maximises its contribution to national economic and social well being on a sustainable basis and which is compatible with the protection of the environment and the support of climate change commitments.
I welcome the investment of £171 million to support a sustainable, competitive and quality driven seafood industry. This is broken down between £76 million for the productive sector, £10 million to provide training and £85 million to support aquaculture and fishery harbours. The development of seafood processing to create a competitive value added product is the main aim of the national development plan. Its purpose is to ensure that we can compete with other countries with the highest quality of fish produce. This sector employs 16,000 people throughout the country, with 1,500 directly employed in the industry in my constituency of Donegal South-West. When one takes account of the service industry and the other back-ups, in excess of 25,000 people are employed in the sector. Up to 3,000 people on the west coast of County Donegal are totally reliant on the fishing industry.
The EU Common Fisheries Policy negotiations in 1983 failed the west of County Donegal. The Minister heard most of the problems and complaints when he visited the area last week. When I grew up Killybegs was not as large a port as it is now and Burtonport was approximately the same size. The main fishing at that time was for herring, salmon and white fish. For a variety of reasons these species have collapsed over the years and we are now reliant on the pelagic industry. Boats and factories have been developed in line with the development of this industry and in recent years we have became totally reliant on mackerel and horse mackerel. However, the jobs and livelihoods of the large numbers employed in the industry must be protected, otherwise County Donegal will face a crisis far greater than that caused by the problems at Fruit of the Loom.
I appreciate that exports are of low valued added, but over the years the industry has had no other option but to proceed on this basis because a lead was not given and the industry had to develop itself. In doing so it unfortunately had to rely totally on mackerel. The pelagic fleet was built up without any grant assistance and the innovative fishermen acquired bigger boats. Regrettably we are now almost totally reliant on pelagic fisheries.
We are now told we must develop other species. We tried to do this recently with blue whiting, but unfortunately when the quota system was introduced we were sold short again. Nevertheless, I compliment the former Minister, Deputy Woods, on securing an increase in the quota for blue whiting.
Four years ago we had a quota of 90,000 tonnes of mackerel. Last year it was reduced to 60,000 tonnes, but thankfully it has been increased to 70,000 tonnes this year. Up to two years ago there was no quota in respect of horse mackerel, but now there is a quota of approximately 70,000 tonnes. When the Minister visited Killybegs it was pointed out that most of the mackerel are spawning off the west coast and that all we seek is an adequate supply of our own natural resource. This is not a national issue, it affects the western area of one county because of the numbers who are totally reliant on the industry.
We all acknowledge that the value added element is not what it should be. In order to have more value added products factories will need to re-equip. The last equipment grant available to the industry under a previous EU directive was to improve hygiene. We now need the maximum grants available under Objective One status to enable factories diversify, change direction and produce high quality fish products.
We heard about EU controls and the discarding of fish at sea. The industry feels it is operating the controls properly and that tightening will be needed. From the Minister's comments in Killybegs I know he will do everything in his power to achieve this.
Factories will probably close from February to September, a terrible situation, particularly for ordinary employees, due to the CFP. Our national quota is owned by us all. It saddens me that some of our boats land some of our quota in other countries and by doing so put jobs at risk.
The national development plan sets out to enhance the safety, quality and efficiency of our fleet. The white fish renewal scheme, introduced by Deputy Woods when Minister, has improved the situation immensely, with many fishermen investing in new fishing boats. After years without investment we now have new boats entering the fleet. The Minister launched one of these, Naomh Eoin, last Friday in Burtonport for Mr. Hannigan. We were totally reliant on the pelagic fleet, but hopefully the former Minister's initiative will change the situation. I also congratulate him on introducing safety grants.
The national plan also identifies the necessity to continue programmes to underpin safety standards in employment, expand the skills base and attract new entrants right across the seafood sector, providing £10 million in this context. Apart from low value added product, poor marketing strategy is also a major shortcoming in our seafood sector. Most companies in Killybegs are marketing separately on the Continent and using different agents. The national development plan will provide £6 million to enhance seafood market development strategies to capitalise on international markets.
I could refer to many other items in relation to the development plan and the strategies being put forward by the Government. However, I will conclude by referring to the large gas find off the Mayo coast. I ask the Minister to take note of what has been said about the harbour development in Killybegs. There is an airport in Carrickfinn and Enterprise Oil will be returning in April to use both facilities. Hopefully there will be a large oil find which will help the people in Mayo, many of whom have gone to England over the years to work in the gas and oil business. Other counties in the west are hoping they will get a share of the cake.