Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 March 2014
5. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has applied for help from the European Union solidarity fund to aid Irish fishermen who have not been able to put to sea for months. [13994/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraEvery Member of the House is aware of the terrible weather we have experienced since the middle of December and the effect it has had on fishing communities. Has the Minister sought any funding from the European Union Solidarity Fund to help alleviate the crisis for inshore fishermen whose boats effectively have been tied up since last December?
I acknowledge that we have had a particularly difficult winter for many fishermen around the coast, with the exception of some of those with the very large pelagic boats. However, in the whitefish sector and the case of the inshore fleet it was virtually impossible to fish, particularly in the months of January and February. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, has previously advised the House that the costs associated with severe weather events in recent months are well below the threshold for the EU Solidarity Fund and that, therefore, no application is possible. We have checked this out and it is the case. Notwithstanding the non-availability of EU funds, the Government has made significant Exchequer funds available to assist the seafood sector in dealing with the impact of the severe weather. On 12 February I informed the House that, as part of its overall co-ordinated response, the Government had decided to make available an additional €8.8 million for the repair of the publicly owned pier, harbour and slipway network for fisheries and aquaculture. In addition, it decided to allocate up to €1.5 million to assist inshore fishermen in replacing lobster and shrimp pots which had been lost or destroyed in the storms.
On 20 March I announced further details of the special funding allocated to local authorities to repair piers and harbours. The funding of €8.5 million will assist to repair 115 storm damaged harbours and piers owned by 11 local authorities and my Department. I also announced details of my Department’s capital programme for 2014, which will see a further €14.6 million provided for harbour development, of which some €11.6 million will go to safety, maintenance and new development works in the six fishery harbours at Howth, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, Dingle, Ros a Mhíl and Killybegs, in addition to fixing the bull nose pier in the north harbour on Cape Clear.
The Deputy will get the rest of that response in detail when he gets it. To help fishermen who have not been able to catch their quota in January and February we have agreed with the industry to significantly increase whitefish quotas for March and April to help fishermen catch up in terms of cashflow problems they would have encountered. We felt that was the most effective way for us to increase their income and ease their cashflow. That has led to problems with pricing in the market in terms of oversupply in recent days, which is also a problem now.
The Minister hit the nail on the head when he mentioned the effect of oversupply on the market regarding the opportunity to make up for lost quota. From the second week in December up to two weeks ago boats were tied up unable to go to sea. As a consequence the boat owners, skippers and crewmembers had no income. As they are deemed to be self-employed they cannot get social welfare. Those who chose to go down that road find themselves waiting weeks if not months for it to be processed.
I have been to Kilmore Quay. We recommended setting up a mechanism allowing them direct access to the social welfare.
I ask the Deputy to put his question, please.
It is a very depressed state. These people have had no income since the end of the second week in December. Funding should be made available to help people during that period and nothing has happened in that regard.
It is not true to say nothing has happened. I have spoken to the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, who has assured me that social welfare offices in and near fishing ports will prioritise fishermen in what is a very difficult period for them. She has assured me that if fishermen can show they have had no income for ten weeks they will get income support. Many fishermen have been getting income support. Some fishermen feel they should not apply on the basis that they are not entitled to it because they are self-employed - the Deputy is right about that. There is a perception problem here for many fishermen - they do not want to be going into social welfare offices but want to be out catching fish. While they are not used to do it, I encourage fishermen to approach social welfare officers in social welfare offices. They will find they will be treated with the compassion they deserve in terms of the income support they need to get them through a difficult period.
The Minister for Social Protection can make all those things available, but there is a process to be followed. A self-employed fisherman or woman applying for social welfare must have his or her accounts in order.
That is not true.
Yes.
The Deputy is right that that is the perception, but-----
I have dealt with it.
----- there is an immediate income-support payment they can and will get.
This is Question Time. The Deputy should put his question and get an answer.
I have dealt with it. They have to produce the accounts for their income for the previous year. They have to get their bank statements to prove what they have or have not got in the bank and it is a long drawn out process. That is why fishermen are not accessing those special needs payments to which they should be entitled.
I thank the Deputy. If he wants a reply I will ask the Minister to be quick.
They might get a few bob from the community welfare officer but they are not getting any social welfare entitlements because they are deemed to be self-employed.
My understanding is that there is an emergency income-support payment available to fishermen.
Through the community welfare officers.
If they have had no income for 12 weeks they can get an emergency income payment immediately from their social welfare office, if they qualify. They should go to their social welfare office to discuss that. The Minister, Deputy Burton, has told me that priority is being given to fishermen and there is considerable sympathy for them given the kind of winter they have been through. I will happily talk to the Deputy about individual cases if he brings them to my attention.
I call Question No. 6.
I have just one supplementary question.
No. You will not have one. We are way over time; I am sorry.
The Minister referred to them having no income for ten weeks. What are they to do for those ten weeks?
