Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The issue is the old pots and the need to prove that one had pots. We do not want to significantly increase the number of pots in use through a scheme of grant aid. Overfishing of lobster is already taking place in some areas. We want people who can show they have lost pots before being able to replace the pots they have lost. The problem is that it is very difficult to have a grant scheme that does not require proof of loss. It will not be sufficient for someone who does not have records to ask us to believe he or she had 300 pots. While we obviously want to try to help everybody, we have to be able to show - the scheme will be audited - that we are only paying out for pots we know were lost. Deputy Ó Cuív asked the reason this requirement applies to lobster pots but does not apply to shrimp pots. It was intended that it would apply to everything.