Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 October 2019
495. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which adequate protective measures are available to assist families dependent on the fishing industry, with particular reference to the situation post Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42237/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are a number of opportunities and threats to our seafood sector in the coming years. Clearly, the potential impacts of a hard Brexit remain a significant concern and my Department and its agencies, and indeed other State bodies such as Enterprise Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta, have been working closely with stakeholders in planning for all scenarios. There are also very many reasons to be positive about the future of our seafood sector. Demand on international markets is such that there are valuable business opportunities for quality Irish seafood. My Department and its agencies are pursuing a number of strategies to assist our seafood enterprises in realising those opportunities.
My Department's €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Operational Programme is the vehicle for financial supports to the seafood sector for the period 2014 to 2020. The Programme delivers a wide range of supports for aquaculture, fisheries and seafood processing through a suite of 18 schemes. The Programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union. Through the EMFF Programme, I am continuing to support the seafood sector through a broad range of advisory and financial supports. Notwithstanding the threats associated with Brexit, the catching sector continues to invest strongly in 2019 with EMFF supports in equipment on-board to add value to catch, improve quality, enhance safety and hygiene and embrace energy efficiency.
More broadly, the seven EMFF Fisheries Local Action Groups are providing EMFF support to projects within coastal communities around Ireland. The FLAG Scheme aims to promote innovative approaches in coastal communities to create growth and jobs in those areas, in particular by adding value to fishery and aquaculture products and diversifying the local economy towards new economic activities. The EMFF Programme also provides supports for capital investment to support the landing obligation, for innovation in fisheries technology and methods, for specialist training for the fishing fleet, and in science to support the sustainable exploitation of our fish stocks.
