Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason she has not availed of the rural development opportunities for coastal communities under the AXIS 4 initiative; the consultations which she has had with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on this matter; her views at this stage on making a submission to the EU Commission on the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15779/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland was allocated EU funding of €42 million for the 2007-2013 European Fisheries Fund. To maximise the benefits of this funding it is being specifically targeted at a small number of Co-Financed measures under the pillars of AXIS 1,2 AND 3, most notably the fleet decommissioning scheme which I launched in February. A draft operational programme setting out specific proposals has been submitted to the EU Commission. The observations of the commission on the content of that operational programme will be considered.

As outlined in the National Strategic Plan for the Fisheries Sector (2007-2013), measures under Axis 4 are planned as Non-Co Financed (ie State aided). These predominantly socio-economic sustainability measures will be implemented by BIM with the assistance of local development networks such as Leader. In this context BIM have been holding discussions with the Leader network with a view to ensuring that overall cohesion is achieved in this area.