Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State back to the House on this very important issue. Like my colleague, Senator O’Donovan, I have to apologise on behalf of our spokesperson, Senator Niall Blaney, who is at another political event and cannot be here. He asked me to put a few points on the record, which I will do to the best of my ability.

First, he wants to welcome the fact that the Government has put in place a €100 million fuel support scheme to assist farmers, agriculture contractors and fishers who are facing unprecedented increases in fuel costs. The scheme, as the Minister of State outlined in his contribution, has been tailored to the specific needs of the fisheries and aquaculture sector and will be operated by Bord Iascaigh Mhara on behalf of the Minister of State and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

In a moment, I will put on the record a few points that Senator Blaney wanted to make about Deputy Dooley’s work since he became Minister of State. Before doing so, it is important to note that I have been in contact with a number of individuals in relation to this particular difficulty within the fishing industry. They are happy so far with the negotiations even though a final announcement has not yet been made. I understand they are happy with the direction in which the negotiations are going. I want to point out that this the first time there has been a targeted fuel rebate for fishermen and fisherwomen, something that should be acknowledged and appreciated by us here in this House. The Minister of State anticipates that the scheme will commence in May. He is talking about covering a period from now until September or October. I hope there will be no delay in the payments being made to these people who very much need them. I ask the Minister of State to say something about the paperwork involved, which can be off-putting sometimes. He mentioned it would be based on last year’s consumption. How will that be proven by the applicant?

Senator Blaney is anxious to put on the record his thanks to the Minister of State for his work on the mackerel quota, which secured an additional 8,000 tonnes of mackerel for this country. It is a very important result for Ireland’s fishing sector at a time when it is very much needed. It means a significant increase in fishing opportunities worth over €30 million that will directly support our pelagic fleet, our processing sector and the many coastal communities that depend on them. Senator Blaney went on to list many of Deputy Dooley's other achievements since becoming Minister of State but I know he is a modest man and we will have another day to acknowledge that. The other thing he is anxious to put on record is the importance of the inshore fisheries, as my colleague outlined. They are just as much a priority and that needs to be maintained.

I very much welcome the Minister of State to the House. I thank him for the work he has done to date for this particular sector but also the work he has done in relation to the €750 million overall package that has been put in place.