Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The key change in the seafood budget this year is that the Brexit Adjustment Reserve funding is not in there. Of all the sectors across the economy for which we drew down that funding last year, it was the seafood sector, both in piers and harbours, in the Deputy's county, my county and across the country. There has been massive investment in the past year. There was also significant capital grant support for the processing sector and payments for the decommissioning scheme recommended by the task force. There was a support scheme last year, as there was the year before, for the inshore sector, in which owners of smaller boats got either €2,500 or €4,500, depending on the size of their small boats. There is the Brexit challenge, particularly with new export challenges coming in this week. There has been significant engagement and support through staffing and veterinary support to facilitate those exports. There is that particular challenge, with which the committee dealt, regarding the inshore sector and the significant reduction in price for crab, in particular, on which the inshore sector depends. That is a market-related issue which led to that fishery closing earlier last year than it normally would. Sometimes it runs into the middle of January but, in terms of the processors, it had closed by December or even a bit earlier last year. It had a significant impact. I met the industry and am looking at what supports may be possible. It is a market and price issue. There has never been support in that type of circumstance before in any similar situation that arose. I am engaging with the industry around the particular challenge it is having.