Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)

The Minister of State said there are no time restrictions. Is there any hope of getting an approximate date or any indication of when this will be finalised? It is almost December 2009 and this programme runs from 2007 to 2013. What EU funding or co-funding has been lost due to the fact we do not have an operational programme in place?

The Minister of State said he received €1 million in 2009 for data collection. I remind him that €5 million was sent back which was not spent on surveys on aquaculture. This is an operational programme for fisheries but the Minister of State's reply would suggest he has no input into it. DG Environment, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Ryan, and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, seem to have the clout and the decision-making ability in regard to the operational programme. Will the Minister of State indicate a date and state how much funding has been lost by not having the operational programme in place?

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