Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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753. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the value of the EU contribution to his Department under the European Fisheries Fund. [22636/16]

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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754. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the value of unused European Fisheries Fund moneys by his Department. [22637/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 753 and 754 together.

My Department’s Operational Programme under the European Fisheries Fund provided funding for the development of the seafood sector over the period 2008 to 2015. The Programme was funded through an EU allocation of €42,266,603 and €24,080,823 in Exchequer funding, bringing total funds to €66,347,426. The Programme ended in December 2015 and funding for the seafood sector is now provided through my Department’s new €240 million EMFF Operational Programme.

My Department recently submitted the final claim under the EFF to the European Commission. As this is the final claim, it will form part of the closure process for Ireland’s EFF Programme, which will likely continue into 2017 at least. Until that closure process is completed, I cannot provide the Deputy with a final figure on how much, if any, EFF funds will be unused at the end of the Programme. Subject to confirmation and acceptance by the Commission of all claims from my Department, we are likely to be close to 100% drawdown of EU funds. This is an excellent outcome and compares very favourably with other Member States.