Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I need to give it on the specific question. I will soon discuss with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Exchequer the question of matching funding.

EMFF funding will provide support for our fishing fleet to meet the challenges of the new discards ban. It will also support the development of the seafood processing sector, a sustainable aquaculture industry and the communities that depend on a vibrant seafood industry. My Department has been working since 2013 on developing a new operational programme setting out the arrangements for spending Ireland's allocation under the fund and has engaged with stakeholders on a number of occasions to date.

Article 55 of the EMFF regulation provides member states with the option of providing compensation from operational programmes to mollusc farmers for the temporary suspension of harvesting of farmed molluscs due to outbreaks of toxin-producing plankton or the presence of plankton containing biotoxins. A relevant outbreak must last for more than four consecutive months or, alternatively, the loss resulting from the suspension of the harvest must amount to more than 25% of the annual turnover of the business concerned. At this time, I am minded to make provision in the operational programme for such a biotoxin compensation fund.

This is subject to final decisions on overall priorities for the seafood sector and to evaluations by independent consultants of the appropriateness of such a measure.

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