Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

No, I did not forget Donegal. I am not sure if that particular one was applied for by Cork County Council but I know Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan is constantly in touch with me and was advocating on all of these piers and was delighted to be able to deliver on them. I have no doubt that when Deputy Michael Collins is next speaking to the Taoiseach about Cork and the Government delivering in Cork he will be able to include the €6 million that is coming from the Government to deliver here. I know Sheehy's launched their boat in Baltimore recently and I was glad to get an invitation to attend but unfortunately I was not able to that particular weekend. However, I wish Mr. Ronan Sheehy and all the family well. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan was in touch with me on that and I know it was a good day all round.

With regard to fuel, the French had a particular approach to subsidising the fuel. The approach I took was the consecutive months tie-up scheme to ensure that those who were going out to fish were coming back with more fish on deck and were able to help address the cost of fuel as part of that. As I said earlier in response to Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, I continue to engage at Government level to see what we can do and if there is potential looking forward. Things have improved somewhat, thankfully. Prior to the invasion of Ukraine in the middle of February, marine gas and oil in terms of its international price was at 67 cent per litre. That peaked in June at €1.11 per litre. Just prior to the invasion, it was 67 cent per litre and marine gas and oil peaked in June at €1.11 per litre. Last week it was down to 68 cent per litre and this week the international benchmark is at 71 cent per litre. It costs a lot more if one is buying in Greencastle or Castletownbere than what that benchmark is but there is a bigger differential now between what the international benchmark was and what the retail price was. It has eased somewhat. However, I am conscious this is something that has not gone away and we do not know what the next number of months will hold and I am considering the situation and engaging with regard to what could be possible.