Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their insight into the introduction of the Bill. I also thank them for their references to the committee that I chaired. When the committee commenced its proceedings, I noted that I was the only member who knew nothing about fishing. I learned a lot, however, and I appreciate the co-operation of Deputies Pringle and Ferris, who were both members of the committee. This is a rather unusual situation as the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, is away on a trade mission and, therefore, unavailable.

The Department's legal advice is that the Bill is not compatible with EU law and the provisions of the Common Fisheries Policy. I wish to reassure the House, however, that the Government recognises the value and importance of maintaining vibrant rural and coastal communities. The Action Plan for Rural Development, Realising our Rural Potential, which was launched last year, is a whole of Government strategy aimed at delivering change for people living and working in rural Ireland. In the sphere of fisheries and seafood production, the Minister has been pleased to launch a range of schemes under Ireland’s European maritime and fisheries fund, EMFF, operational programme for 2014 to 2020. The EMFF programme is co-funded by the Exchequer and the EU and targets the development of Ireland’s seafood industry to support, in turn, the communities reliant on the industry for incomes and jobs.

I have witnessed the great projects supported by both the north-east and south-east fisheries local action group schemes, FLAGs, supported by the national scheme. Over the duration of the EMFF programme, the national FLAG scheme will deliver €12 million in funding to Ireland’s coastal communities. This is an eightfold increase on the previous scheme. More than 200 project applications were received under the scheme in 2017. The final 153 were selected by the FLAG boards for their contribution to community rejuvenation, enterprise, innovation, job creation and skills enhancement across the fishing, aquaculture-----

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