Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 605: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the value for money review on the aquaculture programme was completed; the value of the savings to the Exchequer generated by the implementation of the conclusions from this report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33398/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Value for Money and Policy Review of the aquaculture supports programme was finalised in May 2007. The review covered the period 2000 to 2005 of the NDP 2000-2006. The Review found that in general the current support schemes in aquaculture remain valid and the Aquaculture Development Measure and Exchequer funded schemes under the management of an Bord Iaschaigh Mhara and Údaras na Gaeilge represent an integrated and cohesive set of measures designed to support the development of aquaculture from small-scale operations and trials to new technologies through to larger, more efficient, competitive and sustainable operations. The review found that the Marine RTDI programme and aquaculture monitoring activities under the management of the Marine Institute are also compatible with the Department's high level strategy and remain valid.

The Review found that the future success of Irish aquaculture, in common with the development need identified for the Seafood Industry as a whole, lie in a move away from the production of low value added commodity type products to higher value products, sustained by the differentiation of Irish aquaculture products from the international competition as a premium quality offering.

Having regard to the aquaculture sub-measure of the Seafood Development Measure of the NDP 2007-2013 the report considers that in relation to aquaculture the high-level goal of this Measure should be to support competitiveness via the application of technological innovation to further develop environmentally sustainable techniques, including organic farming, and achieve successful diversification into new species, while ensuring the highest international quality standards are met.

These conclusions find parallels with those in the Report of the Seafood Strategy Review Group — Steering A New Course. The Review identifies the new NDP 2007-2013 as providing an opportunity to refocus and re-align schemes and monitoring activities and an ideal opportunity to develop SMART objectives that would greatly facilitate future evaluations.

Specifically, the Review proposes 16 recommendations to be applied in the context of supports during the course of the new NDP for the period 2007-2013. These recommendations are being pursued and implemented, where they are judged appropriate. As it is so early in the context of supports being generated under the European Fisheries Fund and the NDP 2007-2013, it is too early at this stage to give an accurate estimation of Exchequer savings. This picture will only be emerging over the course of the coming years.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 606: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the value for money review of the BIM marine support programme will be completed; the anticipated value of the saving to the Exchequer due to the implementation of this report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33812/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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A Value for Money review on the Fisheries Support Programme has been selected by this Department as part of the 2006-2008 round of reviews for completion by December 2008. Currently consideration is being given to the formation of a representative steering committee. It is the intention to have this committee commence its work in early January.