John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 373: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of boats which have applied to withdraw permanently from the demersal and shellfish sectors of the Irish fishing fleet; if applications are above the amount able to be compensated; the way in which this will be decided; the boats which are accepted into the scheme; and the way in which levels of compensation will be decided on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32879/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Bord Iascaigh Mhara, the implementing authority for the fishing vessel decommissioning scheme, has advised me that 64 applications were received before the scheme's closing date of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, 1 November 2005. The total amount of grant aid applied for in this tranche is approximately €30 million, which is less than the €45 million the Government has committed for the scheme. BIM will check the eligibility of the applicants in the coming days and weeks. Eligible applications will be scored and prioritised by a committee consisting of representatives of the Department, BIM, the regional assemblies and a representative from another Department or semi-State body. The committee will award points in respect of each eligible vessel in accordance with published selection criteria, which are the vessel's age, gross tonnage, average number of days fished during the two 12-month periods from 30 June 2003 to 30 June 2005 and total landings of pressure stocks as a percentage of total average catch over the same 12-month periods. Priority will be given in order of highest to lowest score. The scales and rates of grant payable to successful applicants are those provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 except in the case of vessels in the scallop fleet where the rates are those shown less 15% in every case.