It would be wrong to draw the conclusion that the Government is not mindful of the difficulties that can afflict fishermen. The Government is particularly concerned about those fishermen who operate out of smaller in-shore boats and are dependent on catches of whitefish for their income. They are the most vulnerable in the fishing community as they are most affected by weather conditions. It was for this reason that the previous Government introduced the fishing assist scheme in the late 1990s. This scheme has a simple purpose, to protect the livelihoods of fishermen during periods when they are unable to fish and have very low incomes. It can be of benefit to certain fishermen affected by the recent storms and I encourage them to contact the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The key are elements of the scheme are that only 70% of all income from self-employment will be assessed, rather than 100%, child rated income disregards of over €250 apply for each of the first two children, with extra disregards for the third and subsequent children and there is a relaxation of signing on arrangements. These are important concessions in the social welfare code that are targeted and measured and I hope the Senator agrees that they offer clear potential to assist certain fishermen in times of financial hardship.