Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has made a couple of important points. I will go back to BIM, raise his points with it and ask for a response. There is no public record or register of fishermen in Ireland. Most are employed as share fishermen, that is, they are self-employed. In administering the scheme, BIM cannot check whether or how long any individual crewman has worked on a specific fishing vessel. However, having in their possession a valid safety card which is valid for five years is taken as evidence they are bona fide fishermen.

Another important point of relevance to the workers the Deputy has mentioned is that the task force recommended, regarding payments to the crew of commissioned vessels, that, if possible, the restriction set out in EMFAF Regulation No. 1139, that bars crew from re-entering the sector for a period of five years, be excluded. This was achieved and nothing is preventing any crew currently employed on a vessel intending to be decommissioned seeking employment on a different fishing vessel. On the specific points raised by the Deputy, I will bring them back to BIM and make sure he receives a response.

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