Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2022
934. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount that remains unspent in the current European Maritime and Fisheries Fund programme for Ireland; his plans to spend this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32564/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's €240.4 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Programme 2014-20 has been the principal source of funding in recent years for the sustainable development of our seafood sector. The Programme was adopted by the European Commission in December 2015 and formally launched in 2016. Since then, the Programme has been a great success in distributing funding to support our fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors with capital investment, innovation, advisory services, training and marketing supports.
At the end of 2021, the last date for which official data is available, funds of €233.8 million had been committed to projects through grant approvals (97.2%), while funds of €213.8 million had been spent and declared by beneficiaries (88.9%). Implementation of the Programme continues in 2022 and indeed some approved projects will not complete until 2023. My Department, BIM and Údarás na Gaeltachta continue to pay out grants in 2022 as approved projects complete. Some limited number of projects may complete under budget, releasing funds for new commitments. In addition, a limited number of schemes remain open for new applications, including training and lobster v-notching, so commitments may increase from day to day. Furthermore, I have given an undertaking to producer organisations to fund their eligible activities as they fall due for payment in 2022 and 2023, and these commitments do not show in the above commitment figures.
By the time the Programme closes on 31 December 2023, I expect full draw down of funds.
