Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The reason I tabled this question is that the fishing industry is going through a critical time at present. Costs have increased by 40% due to the increased cost of fuel. There are many in the fishing industry whose accounts have been taken from the previous year. Also, they are not in receipt of job seeker's allowance. Given that funding of €214 million has been allocated to the rural social scheme I ask the Minister to create a scheme that will allow more flexibility for fishermen to participate in it, particularly the self-employed who cannot go on job seeker's allowance because they are employed and whose accounts are taken from the previous year, otherwise the industry will not exist in a year's time. I ask the Minister to at least give them some help in the short term until the fuel crisis is over.

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