Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 29: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the work that has been undertaken to retain and create jobs in costal communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27706/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Food Harvest 2020 identified a potential to increase employment in the seafood industry from 11,000 to 14,000 by 2020, mostly in coastal communities. The Report also saw the potential to increase the value of the seafood sector from €700 million to €1 billion by 2020. The strategy set out in Food Harvest involves both the processing and aquaculture sectors.

I am committed to continuing the path set out in Food Harvest 2020 for the development of the seafood sector in Ireland into 2012. My Department and its agencies have been working together on a twin track approach to overcoming existing constraints on the aquaculture sector, firstly through the comprehensive bay by bay environmental impact assessments required by EU Birds and Habitat Directives and secondly through development of the feasibility of locating aquaculture in less sensitive but more challenging conditions offshore. We are starting to see promising signs of progress in 2011 on the environmental assessments in Natura sites and I believe this will gather pace as the process is bedded-in. BIM provides certain support programmes for the sector, including capital grant support for shellfish production outside Natura areas and within Natura where compliance is delivered and an innovation and technology support scheme. The continuation of these programmes is subject to budget allocations.

In relation to the seafood processing sector, Food Harvest 2020 recognised that the sector was fragmented, lacking in scale, uncompetitive in terms of production costs, too focussed on export of commodity products and constrained by inconsistent supply of raw material. BIM, with Enterprise Ireland and Údarás is working to address each of these issues. Grant aid support under the Seafood Processing Business Investment Scheme was provided in 2011 to improve competitiveness and help the companies concerned develop export markets for high value added products. In the seafood sector a further tranche of investment under the Seafood Processing Business Investment Scheme administered by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) was announced today by the Taoiseach which will see a further €3.5 million in investment this year and generate 64 jobs. BIM launched a new Seafood Value Adding Scheme earlier this year to support seafood companies with developing added-value products. The scheme assists with concept development, including business planning, product development and packaging. The continuation of these programmes is, of course, subject to budget allocations.