Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the reason, with regard to recent revelations that the European Commission was not informed about the fishing vessel lost at sea scheme, this Deputy was told in response to Question No. 6 of 15 June 2005 that it was impossible to re-open the scheme due to EU regulations; if the Government ever approached the EU to ascertain if it was possible to re-open the said scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13645/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware the fishing vessel lost at sea scheme was introduced in June 2001, following consultation with the fishing industry representative organisations. The purpose of the scheme was to enable qualifying applicants, who were otherwise unable to do so for financial or related reasons, to provide replacement capacity for the purposes of introducing a replacement vessel in respect of fishing boats lost at sea between 1980 and the establishment of the fishing boat register in 1990, in order to continue a family tradition of sea-fishing. The scheme did not provide financial support for the acquisition of a fishing vessel itself and took into account the requirement that Ireland was required to keep within EU limits on the size of national fishing fleets.

The European Commission was not informed about the introduction of the scheme in 2001 because it was not considered necessary to do so as the scheme was in compliance with relevant European Community requirements then in force.

The position changed with the introduction of the new Common Fisheries Policy framework, enshrined in Council Regulation 2371 of 2002, which provides that the entry of new capacity into the fleet without public aid is compensated by the previous withdrawal without public aid of at least the same amount of capacity. This provision is regarded as a cornerstone of the new Common Fisheries Policy in so far as it ensures that the capacity of member states fishing fleets do not increase beyond the level in place on 1 January 2003.

Clearly, the allocation of further capacity under the scheme would be in breach of Council Regulation 2371 of 2002. In these circumstances, I do not consider it appropriate to approach the EU Commission to ascertain if it is possible to re-open the scheme.