Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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340. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of compensation packages (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46806/15]

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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382. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will initiate a compensation welfare fund for small fishery boat owners who have had no income since October 2015 due to adverse weather conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1057/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 340 and 382 together.

Inshore fishermen who may be experiencing financial difficulties while ashore due to the adverse weather should contact the Department of Social Protection which offers income support payments, subject to certain eligibility criteria . The National Inshore Fisheries Forum has invited the Department of Social Protection to its forthcoming meeting on 21 January to discuss social protection policies relevant to the inshore sector. It is important that the fishing industr y take every precaution to avoid risk of injury or worse during this period and have full regard to local weather warnings before venturing to sea.

The new Seafood Development Operational Programme under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund was adopted by the European Commission in December 2015. That Programme provides a comprehensive range of supports for the seafood sector, including a dedicated scheme of supports for the inshore sector to address the various economic and sustainability challenges facing the sector. In relation to specific measures to support inshore fishermen affected by significant losses arising from adverse weather events, the EMFF and the Operational Programme provide for the establishment by fishermen of a Mutual Fund for Adverse Climatic events and Environmental Incidents, which when established can provide aid to fishermen affiliated to the Fund in line with pre-defined rules. The Operational Programme will co-fund the Mutual Fund, together with subscriptions from member fishermen. In that sense, the viability of such a Mutual Fund is dependent on the extent to which fishermen commit to membership of that Fund.

Following the December adoption of the Programme, I am now rolling out new schemes and will be launching the first schemes later this month, with others to follow during 2016. I will be discussing with fishing representatives how they may establish this Mutual Fund over the course of 2016.