Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have put money on the table, with the €12 million to fund the additional month of the scheme, which the sector specifically requested of me to address the fuel crisis and the challenges in that regard. I accessed that from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve fund, because that is bringing fresh funding into the fishing sector, rather than take it out of the EMFF, which is already in the fishing sector and allocated. The option is still there. The European Commission has given flexibility to member states to use that maritime funding in liquidity aid and, therefore, I still have that option after bringing the €12 million into the sector, which is at play until the end of November through that additional month of the tie-up scheme.

I have been monitoring the prices closely month by month. As I said, we cannot reduce the excise given there is no excise on marine gas oil but there is the state aid flexibility given by the Commission to use the maritime funding but, as the Deputy will appreciate, that would mean using future funding for now and that is something that has to be considered carefully. I have been monitoring and assessing the situation, not least in light of the funding I have put in place being due to run out in November.

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