Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The opening statement deals with the topic of today's meeting, which is the inshore strategy from 2019 to 2023. That is what the committee asked me to come in to discuss, not the current state of fisheries. The statement the Deputy received specifically deals with that. When I finished dealing with that, I dealt with the most urgent issue at the moment, which is the market situation, and I outlined how I am finalising the details of the supports for this year. I am hoping to announce that within the coming three weeks. I understand that it is needed this year and that the sector is under particular pressure.

On the various schemes and the spending of Brexit funding, I brought all fisheries representatives together in the seafood task force to look at the terms of the Brexit adjustment reserve funding, and to propose what schemes I could do to support every sector. All fishing representatives in that unanimously signed off on that task force report and put those proposals to me. There were 16 schemes proposed. I delivered on all 16 to the full extent of the funding requested. One of those was the inshore business adjustment scheme, which delivered €2,700 for boats less than 10 m, or €4,500 for boats less than 18 m. That was delivered last year and the year before. To qualify for the latter with a boat of less than 18 m, you had to show that you were selling at least €1,000 worth of fish in one year. That was the support put in place. The representatives gave me any ideas that could meet the criteria. I delivered on all 16 that were brought forward. I wish the criteria might have been looser in other ways, but we tried to examine it and pull funding out in any way we could for as much of the sector as we could. We delivered on that. That was last year and the year before. This year I will be coming forward within three weeks with a support scheme for this year. That will not do away with the bad market situation, or the challenging income situation, but I hope it will be a help.