Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the steps that have been taken by her Department to implement the recommendations of the seafood industry strategy review group on the training of fishermen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9938/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In February 2008, Minister John Browne T.D., officially launched Bord Iascaigh Mhara's (BIM's) mobile Engineering Coastal Training Unit (CTU), at Kilmore Quay Pier, Co. Wexford as part of BIM's response to a recommendation in the Seafood Industry Strategy — Steering A New Course 2007-2013 to increase training to the inshore sector in view of the significantly higher rates of accidents and machinery failure on inshore and coastal vessels affecting safety, profitability and crew retention. This follows the replacement of BIM's two highly successful mobile Coastal Training Units. The new units have a 16% increased floor area due to a unique expandable pod, considerably expanding their training potential. They are equipped with the most up-to-date computer, navigation, multimedia training technology, as well as radio and safety demonstration equipment and separate fire demonstration trailers accompanies them. The new Coastal Training Units are self-contained having their own generators and are designed to host video conferences through satellite Broadband and facilitate contact with training facilities in other BIM training centres and abroad. The CTU's main customer base is situated in remote fishing coastal communities where they deliver safety and skills training programmes to the industry, visiting on average 30 coastal communities each year.

BIM is also installing a new firefighting unit in the National Fisheries College Greencastle, County Donegal this year to deliver three and five day Firefighting courses to fishermen studying for their Department of Transport Certificates of Competency. This unit will also be availed of by fishermen from Northern Ireland, where similar facilities are not available. It is worth noting that all fishermen are eligible to undertake BIM training programmes including those serving on vessels that are decommissioning. In this regard, BIM and FÁS have agreed to co-operate to provide training for fishing vessel crew members that find themselves without a job when their fishing vessel is decommissioned. Both agencies will work closely together to provide retraining, upskilling or diversification opportunities in the seafood industry or elsewhere in the economy as required.